Lanier to Represent LCC, Community in State Program
Nancy Saunders, Staff Writer
© The Free Press

Maturity, poise and a calm demeanor belie her chronological years and just might be Mary Catherine Lanier’s best assets as she prepares to face judges and audiences in the Miss North Carolina Pageant this week in Raleigh.

Representing the Kinston-Lenoir County area and her school as Miss Lenoir Community College 2006, 19-year-old Lanier will compete against 24 other young women statewide as the first community college representative in the program’s 69-year history.

At a time when interest in and support of scholarship programs is flagging, Lanier is perplexed and encouraged.

“I don’t understand the dwindling interest because the Miss America program is a top giver of scholastic awards,” she said. “But I am very excited about being the first community college system representative.

“North Carolina used to have 70-80 girls competing, and this year the total is 25. If each community college had a representative,” she said, “it would really boost the Miss North Carolina program.”

Lanier’s participation as Miss LCC also should boost the community college system. Her platform is helping displaced workers reinvent themselves through community college programs and resources.

“Many North Carolina-based companies have closed or relocated, and this leaves many people without a job,” she said. “Most of these workers are middle-aged and they don’t know what to do or where to go to look for another job.

“I would love to spend a year as Miss North Carolina promoting the community college and its advantages to the unemployed and displaced workers in the state.”

Within weeks of having won the Miss LCC title in March, she shared her platform at the annual JobLink Partners Appreciation Luncheon in New Bern, sponsored by the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board. She also is ferreting out individuals, having one-on-one conversations, and plans to hold classes at her church.

A member of Tanglewood Church of God, where her father is pastor, Lanier has cut her teeth on the bonds formed in a nurturing church community and close family. Constant involvement in groups and productions has helped her develop an on-stage presence of self-assurance and ease.

She sings in “The Warehouse Band” and has been in “The Victor” every year, both sponsored by the church. Six years of piano and dance, and two years of formal voice training (plus a “lifetime of singing with Mom and Dad”) also will give confidence in her talent competition at the pageant, a pop vocal presentation of Linda Eder’s hit, “If I Had My Way.”

While lithe and feminine, the 5-foot-9-inch blonde sports another side, too. In high school, she played basketball, softball and was a cheerleader.

“Being born between two boys, I had to learn how to be tough,” she said. “Even sandwiched between two tall brothers, I was still the athlete.

“One of our favorite family things to do together is play a backyard game of ‘football basketball’ — that means basketball with no rules. If you want the ball, you just grab, tackle, whatever, to take it away and shoot.”

Confidence and toughness does not come easy, though, for Lanier. Even as her parents took her to Raleigh Saturday, she was tentative knowing they could only drop her off, and then not be in touch — even by phone — until Tuesday.

“I can tell since becoming Miss LCC in March that I’ve grown up a lot,” Lanier said. “I’ve had to handle a lot more responsibility than I’ve been used to.

“But I’ve gained a lot of confidence,” she continued. “Otherwise, it’s pretty hard to walk across a stage in a swimsuit in front of lots of people … you just have to laugh and not take yourself too seriously.”

What she does take seriously is the help and support she has received from so many in this process. In a gracious and unassuming manner, she is quick to give credit where it counts: to Mitch Butts, executive director of the Miss LCC Pageant; Susan Gale, her business manager; Sandi Croom, her personal adviser; Bob and Stacey, trainers from 24/7 Fitness; and Max Blizzard, vocal trainer and provider of her talent accompaniment tape.

To send notes of encouragement to Lanier this week, address them to: Miss North Carolina Pageant, Mary Catherine Lanier, Peace College, 15 E. Peace St., Raleigh, NC 27604.

Nancy Saunders can be reached at (252) 527-3191, Ext. 268, or nsaunders@freedomenc.com.