Bassett looking forward to representing county in pageant
Madison’s Gracie Bassett says representing Madison County during the 2023 Miss Hospitality pageant will be the week of a lifetime.
“I expect to meet a whole bunch of diverse women from across the state with diverse backgrounds,” Bassett said. “Getting to learn from them in July when we come together and compete will be the highlight of the week and absolutely priceless.”
Bassett is the daughter of William and Barbie Bassett.
She will travel to Hattiesburg on July 9 with her Little Miss Hospitality, Ann Hampton Lambert, who is the daughter of Zach and Heather Lambert.
Bassett is currently a junior in the Honors College at Mississippi College, where she is double majoring in biology and chemistry medical sciences. She plans to attend medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center with hopes of becoming a radiologist.
She has donated her hair nine times to cancer patients, is a classically trained pianist, and is an avid volunteer, having given over 400 hours of community service. She also participated in the Distinguished Young Woman scholarship program in 2021 and won the state competition.
Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality contest was established in 1949 under Gov. Fielding Wright and the state Legislature. It is designed for women ages 18 to 24 and has championed the state’s tourism and economic development sectors while supporting Mississippi’s best and brightest young women through its scholarship program.
The winner serves as the state’s official goodwill ambassador traveling regionally and nationally to promote Mississippi and share her story. Miss Hospitality will also enjoy her part of more than $100,000 in prizes and scholarships offered by the Miss Hospitality program.
The pageant begins on July 14 and ends July 15.
Since there is no local director for Madison County Miss Hospitality this year, Bassett had to apply for the pageant through the “At Large” program, which enables Mississippi communities without a local director to have a representative in the State Competition.
Bassett said she is one of three contestants in the pageant who were selected through the program, and she is very fortunate.
She submitted her application in February, was selected for the pageant in March, and is spending a lot of time preparing.
“I’ve been reading from a variety of news sources from across the state, learning about economics, and trying to figure out how I can market Madison County and Mississippi to the rest of the nation in a way that builds up the community here,” Bassett said. “All of those things have made preparation not feel like work. Having this title has let me travel the community and talk to business leaders, politicians, and more, and I’ve been able to see why they love being here in Mississippi.”
Bassett said one of her best moments as Madison County Miss Hospitality was going to the Abigayle Adult Day Center in Ridgeland and playing the piano for the residents. She described it as a special moment and said making them feel at home in Madison, even though they are older, was priceless and was truly the meaning of hospitality.
“This program is very public speaking heavy and you do a lot of talking,” Bassett said. “The categories of competition involve a one-on-one interview with each judge, a five-minute panel interview with all of the judges, a 90-second speech about Mississippi and what you would say to convince a visitor to come to Mississippi, a 20-second hometown commercial specific to your home county, and an evening gown portion. If you reach the Top 10 or Top 5, you will get an on-stage question, and they can get intense at the higher levels.”
“Miss Hospitality is unique to Mississippi and that’s what makes it so special to me,” she said.
Bassett’s mother, Barbie Bassett, said her daughter has so much fun being out in the community and that she loves helping others.
“Gracie is an avid volunteer who has given over 400 hours of community service over the last few years, and she is not slowing down,” Bassett said. “She loves loving on people, and that’s where she gets her joy. She has grown up and matured in the last couple of years since Distinguished Young Woman and I am most excited to see her showcase all of Madison County, and not just one or two towns. If she goes to this pageant and does that, she will make her mark and leave an impact, no matter if she wins or not.”
For more information about Miss Hospitality, visit their website at www.misshospitality.net.