Pageant News Bureau - Monica Pang

In praise of Miss Pang

Photos by Joe Whiteko / PNB

Miss Georgia, Amy Mulkey, crowns Monica Pang as Miss UGA (University of Georgia)

Monica Pang was upfront with PNB: "I don't think I'm interesting enough for you to write about."

She wasn't being standoffish, just modest. In early 2003, she was crowned Miss University of Georgia. But that didn't make her a pageant star, she told us. She's just a competitor who hopes to become Miss Georgia and then Miss America.

Maybe that's true in the Peach State. But back in South Carolina, where Ms. Pang grew up, some folks think we should have written about her a long time ago. So we're doing this for them.

She got her start in South Carolina pageants by winning Miss Freshman at prestigious Riverside High School. She represented two of the state's major cities at Miss South Carolina Teen USA, and once finished as first runner-up there. She was on her way to big things in the land of the Swamp Fox.

Monica Pang with pageant director Jerry Anthony

Monica Pang and runners-up (from left) Melanie Gossett, Julie Tyndall, Julie Campbell and Michelle Hart

But then came time for college, and she chose to cross the Savannah River and attend the University of Georgia. It was almost like coming home, since her mom is from a small town in South Georgia. (Her dad is an ethnic Chinese from Malaysia.)

We told her that with her looks and her piano-playing, she might be a serious contender for Miss America.

She was still very modest, and very gracious. She said, "Thank you."