 "Photo: John Lucas")
With hip gyrations, lords-a-leaping and backflips galore, 12 University men competed in a battle of wit and skill for the "Around the World" Mr. McCombs Pageant Friday night.
The contestants represented student organizations within the McCombs School of Business and competed in categories such as casual wear, talent and formal wear. The Undergraduate Business Council hosted the pageant in the Flawn Academic Center.
Event co-chair and finance junior Stephanie Stratz said the event was part of the council's Business Week and was the fourth time they hosted it.
"It's a great way to bring the business school together," Stratz said.
Contestants opened the show with a choreographed dance number complete with backflips and Irish dancing.
Finance lecturer and pageant judge Pamela Friedman said she was looking for "a mixture of looks, skill and talent that would represent the school well."
The judges decided that Mr. Asian Business Students Association, Julian Maldonado, had the right mix.
"I absolutely feel like a celebrity," the marketing senior said after winning the pageant.
For the talent portion, Maldonado showed off his basketball skills in a slam dunk demonstration. At one point, he jumped over a commentator to sink the shot.
Born in Colombia, Maldonado said he hopes to represent the diversity of the Asian Business Students Association.
Contestants also participated in a question and answer session. Mr. University Investors Association and finance senior Daniel Koch took the opportunity to poke fun at Miss Teen South Carolina Caitlin Upton's convoluted response to a question on "U.S." Americans' lack of geography knowledge at the Miss Teen USA pageant in August.
Economics junior Greg Luna was nominated to compete for the Hispanic Business Students Association. Before the event, he said he was more concerned about the choreographed group dance routines than winning the competition. He said contestants had been practicing for three weeks.
Many audience members came armed with signs to support the contestants. One such supporter was accounting sophomore Jaime A. Rodriguez, membership director of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. He attended the event to cheer on finance senior Adan Martinez.
"Our organization's really dedicated to showing professionalism across the UT campus," Rodriguez said. "We know Adan will live up to that."
Stratz said proceeds and canned goods collected during the event would be given to a local food bank.
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