BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-Alexa Jones of Andalusia is Miss Birmingham-Southern College 2003.

The senior English major was crowned following talent and eveningwear competitions Friday night, Oct. 25, in the BSC Theatre. The 20 contestants also participated in swimsuit and interview competitions earlier in the day.

Miss BSC 2002 Rachel Haynes of Gardendale crowned Jones.

Jones also won the swimsuit competition. Her talent was dance and her platform was The Renaissance Foundation of Alabama Inc., a nonprofit organization she created in 1999 to introduce youth in elementary and secondary public schools to the arts.

Anna Donaldson, a senior English major from Jasper, was first runner-up to Miss BSC 2003. Donaldson won the talent competition on piano, while her platform was "Motivation of Youth Toward Excellence."

The other runner-ups included Laura

Faye Faulkner, a sophomore accounting major from Vernon, second runner-up; Kathryn Stewart Stokes, a sophomore biology major from Huntsville, third runner-up; and Laura Katherine Stonecipher, a junior accounting major from Sheffield, fourth runner-up.

Jana Sanderson, Miss Alabama 2000, was the pageant host.

The Miss BSC Pageant is an official preliminary competition for the Miss Alabama Pageant scheduled for next June. Jones will compete to become the 22nd Miss BSC since 1938 to also be crowned Miss Alabama.