Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Oct. 27, 1983, edition 1 / Page 7
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The Chronicle, Thursday, October 27, 1983-Page A7 Chronicle Profile Queen: 'God Has Really Smiled On Me ’ By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Staff Writer A lot of people have told Paula Mickens she resembles singer Natalie Cole. She takes the compliment as an honor. However, she says being crowned Miss Winston-Salem State University tonight will be one of her greatest honors yet. “God has really smiled on me, being that I’m Miss WSSU,” she says. “That’s the real honor.” A native of Garner and a senior com puter science major, with a minor in mathematics, Mickens has all the “right stuff” for the makings of a queen. She’s warm, charming, personable and a master conversationalist. Her corner desk in the student govern ment office in Memorial Student Union is scattered with paraphernalia about life and God. Throughout the interview, her phone never stops ringing. Eager to please all who call her, she always answers, “I’m still smiling and how are you?” Despite the demands of a college queen before her coronation, Mickens seems on ly a little edgy. “I didn’t run for this title for the sake of beauty,” she says. “A lot of people knew me and respected me for what I was before this. “I wanted to get closer to the students, and I felt that I could be a link to the them and help bring more unity to the campus,” she says. Mickens says many of her friends were worried that she might suffer a personali ty change once she became Miss WSSU. “This title didn’t make me,” she says. “1 make the title. If a person centers his life on a title, then when it’s over, he’s nobody.” Mickens says she had her doubts about “Everybody tells me I’m the perfect queen. It’s not every day you walk out of your dorm and people say, ‘Hey, that’s Miss WSSU. ’ It feels great. ” - Paula Mickens campaigning for Miss WSSU at first, but when her friends began rallying for her, she says she had to go through with it. “It all started when I was Miss In terdenominational Youth for Christ,” she says. “Since I was the last queen to come out (during last year’s coronation), I came down those steps with all I had and it was like, ‘Wow, is that Paula?”’ After the impression she made at the coronation, Mickens says a couple of her friends urged her to campaign for Miss WSSU. “Everybody tells me I’m the perfect queen,” she says with a smile. “It’s not every day that you walk out of your dorm and people say, ‘Hey, that’s Miss WSSU.’ It feels great.” A born-again Christian since her freshman year, Mickens says she’s satisfied with her new life. “1 love my new life in Christ,” she says. “God is the key in my life. “Before 1 took this office, I prayed about it because 1 didn’t want to take it just for myself,” she says. “One of the reasons I wanted it was to let the people know the glory God has given me and to let them know that not all Christians are dull.” In her campaign, Mickens says she went directly to the students and asked them what qualities they were looking for in a queen. “I got all kinds of answers,” she says, “but most of all they said they wanted a queen who wouldn’t change after she was elected. 1 haven’t changed at all. I’m still Paula Mickens.” Mickens’ resemblance to Natalie Cole is overwhelming, and the 22-year-old “B” student says her father was often told he looked a lot like the late Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole’s father. “I was in New York once and this man Paula Mickens, Miss WSSU, is not letting her title change her - instead, she’s “making” the title, she says, (photo by James Parker). started following me. 1 didn’t know what to think,” says Mickens. “Finally, he looked at me and said, “You look like her (Natalie Cole). “The majority of the places I’ve been people have either just stared at me or said 1 look like Natalie Cole. It really started when 1 was about 12.” Mickens has set her goals high, and she says that owning her own business is one of them. “1 want to become a computer pro grammer,” she says. “But my greatest ambition is to own my own business in computers. I would also like to be involv ed in international relations.” In her hometown of Garner, Mickens says family and friends are very proud of her. “When I went to church at home, my pastor came up to me and bowed,” she says, laughing. “My whole family is ex cited.” Tonight, Paula Mickens will still be the last queen to make her entrance. But this time, she will be the queen everyone came to see. Alta Vista Garden Qub Meets The Alta Vista Garden Club met recently at the home of Mrs. Louise King of 2921 Reynolds Park Road, with Mrs. Juanita Penn as co-hostess. The meeting was opened with a reading by Mrs. Mae Field. The theme song and scripture reading was done by Mrs. Alberta Singleton. Mrs. Kenneth R. Williams, president of the 4th District Garden Coun cil, visted the club and gave remarks. Other members present were Mrs. Janie Thomas, president; Mrs. Eva Harris, recording secretary; Mrs. Estelle Cropps, assistant secretary; Mrs. Alberta Singleton, treasurer; Mrs. Elizabeth Ceaser, Mrs. Beatrice Feemster, assistant financial secretary; Mrs. Beulah Hickerson, Mrs. Louise King, Mrs. Tereatha Miller, Mrs. Maggie Rucker, Mrs. Ora Rutlane, Mrs. Willa Truesdale, Mrs. Cordelia Turner, Mrs. Hat tie Vaughn and Mrs. Marion Wallace. Dinner followed at K&W Restaurant. You’ll Find Everything You Need For That HOMECOMING Gathering at The Party Shop Wines Glass Mixers And Much MORE! ; REG BEER, WE DELIVER" 7?2-2??4 CITY BEVERAGE 908 Burke Street '-iiiiaritiicj i(j\Dfijs nr Dejisor'i. Andre Baity Phillips Winston-Salem Native Moves To Saudi Arabia Andre Baity Phillips of Dallas, Texas, and original ly from Winston-Salem, is transferring with the Bab cock and Wilcox Company’s internal divi sion to Saudi Arabia. Bab cock and Wilcox is an Ohio- based firm which manufac tures and erects utility and industrial boilers. A field service engineer, Phillips will participate in a ifesalinization project for ^udi Arabia. The project '|iU be complete in one year. Phillips is a 1975 graduate of East Forsyth Senior High School and is a 1980 graduate of Tennessee State University. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering. While at Tennessee State, Phillips worked as a field inspector on the Blue Ridge Parkway for the Federal Highway Administration and as an environmental engineer intern for the sanitary district of Chicago. SUBSCRIBE NOW & PAY 052 ONLY 10 Wiriston-Salem Ctinoqicle Enter my one-year subscription to the Winston-Salem Chronicle. Enclosed is my check/money order for the amount of $13.52. (Add $1.00 for out-of-town delivery.) Name Address ___ City _ State. -Zip. 3fit ij'Anfiqi) Sale starts Wed., October 26; ends Sat., Oct. 29, unless otherwise specified. Most items at reduced prices. FALL HARVEST SAVE 40% O to Entire stock of misses coordinating sportswear How to dress for success for a lot less — discover our sale- priced sportswear in splendid fall colors. Choose from our entire stock of misses coordinating jackets, skirts, vest pants and blouses in all the brilliant colors and fabrics for fall. All in misses sizes. in our Sportswear Department Ask about Sears Credit Pians 1/2 PRICE The Perfect Bag just got better 9 49 each Our fully-accessorized, easy-to- organize bag now comes in light weight styles. Vinyl or oxford weave nylon. Hurry and save! Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Back SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Oct. 27, 1983, edition 1
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