February 26, 2022

Ben Yoder of Lee’s Summit is among the candidates in the running for Southwest Baptist University’s Mr. and Miss Southwest Pageant, a tradition annually honoring one male and one female student.

The event takes place this year at 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, in Pike Auditorium on the Bolivar campus.

Eight candidates are nominated from the junior class by SBU faculty and staff and voted upon by the student body to select a pair of students to represent the Bearcat family for the next year. The voting will take place by text message during the pageant, which will include opportunities to learn more about the candidates through introductory videos, talent presentations and question-and-answer sessions.

Ben, son of Chloe and Lance Yoder, is a biochemistry major. His plans after graduation are to attend graduate school to become a physician’s assistant.

The beginnings of the “Miss Southwest” pageant date back to the 1930s, with “Mr. Southwest” being added in 1963. The pageant is part of Bearcat Days, a two-day visit event in which admitted students considering SBU attendance are hosted on campus.

Admission to the pageant is free and open to the public. The pageant also will be available via livestream at: www.SBUniv.info/MMSW22. For more information about Mr. and Miss Southwest, please contact Student Life Coordinator, Mollie Banks at [email protected].