Leigh Sherer

Last updated
Leigh Sherer
Born
Kristen Leigh Sherer

(1973-08-29) August 29, 1973 (age 49)
Education Samford University
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Samford 1992
Miss Cullman Area 1993
Miss Point Mallard 1994
Miss Walker County 1995
Miss Alabama 1995 [1]
Major
competition(s)
Miss America 1996

Leigh Sherer Seirafi (born August 29, 1973) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Jasper, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1995. She was a top ten finalist for Miss America 1996.

Contents

Pageant career

While a freshman at Samford University, Sherer was crowned Miss Samford 1992 and competed for the 1992 Miss Alabama title. [2] Sherer earned the Miss Cullman Area 1993 title and competed in the 1993 Miss Alabama pageant. She was named second runner-up to winner Kalyn Chapman. [3] In July 1993, Sherer won the Miss Point Mallard title, earning her a spot in the 1994 Miss Alabama pageant held in June 1994. [4]

Sherer was crowned Miss Walker County 1995 which made her eligible to compete at the 1995 Miss Alabama pageant. [5] Entering the state pageant in June 1995 as one of finalists, Sherer's preliminary competition talent for Miss Alabama a combined piano and vocal performance. She won her group's preliminary talent competition. [6] Sherer won the competition on Saturday, June 17, 1995, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Alabama titleholder Amie Beth Dickinson. [6] [7] As Miss Alabama, her activities included public appearances across the state of Alabama, including hosting duties at regional pageants and convention appearances. [8] [9]

Sherer was Alabama's representative at the Miss America 1996 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 1995. [10] [11] Her competition talent was a combination of a piano performance of a medley of songs from Carmen and a vocal solo performance of the "Habanera" aria from the same opera. [12] [13] She was a top ten finalist for the national title. [1] [10] [14]

Her reign as Miss Alabama continued until Alison McCreary was crowned on June 15, 1996. [15] [16]

Personal life and education

Sherer is a native of Jasper, Alabama, and graduated from Walker High School in 1991. [17] The Alabama Public Housing Authority honored Sherer as their 1995 Volunteer of the Year. [9]

Sherer earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in piano and vocal performance from Samford University in 1997. [17] [18] She was the first student to earn a full piano scholarship from Samford and won the Concerto Aria piano competition in 1994 and 1995. [9] Sherer was inducted into the Kappa chapter of Alpha Delta Pi sorority while at Samford. [19]

She married Peter Seirafi. They have two sons, Peter and Nicholas, and reside in Columbus, Georgia.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Miss Alabama History". Miss Alabama . Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  2. Oliphant, Lisa (1992). "Crowned in Her Glory". Entre Nous. Birmingham, AL: Samford University. pp. 14–15. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  3. "Miss Leeds wins crown". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. Associated Press. June 10, 1993. p. 1A. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  4. McDougal, Wendy N. (June 8, 2005). "Cookout fetes Miss Point Mallard Jamie Langley". The Decatur Daily . Decatur, AL. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  5. "Former winners of Miss Walker County Title". Jasper, AL: Miss Walker County. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Miss Alabama crowning tonight". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. June 17, 1995. p. 1B. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  7. "Jasper woman named Miss Alabama 1995". The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, AL. June 18, 1995. p. 1A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  8. "Newspaper executives meeting". The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, AL. Associated Press. July 10, 1995. p. 4B. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "Out and About". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. August 18, 1995. p. 1C. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Miss America Crown Is Icing on Her Cake". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles, CA. Associated Press. September 17, 1995. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  11. "Practicing for pageant". The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, AL. Associated Press. September 9, 1995. p. 2B. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  12. Florio, Gwen (September 13, 1996). "A Big Loser Hopes To Be A Big Winner In A.C." The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, PA . Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  13. Watkins, Mia (May 28, 2014). "Miss Alabama fashion through the years". The Birmingham News . Birmingham, AL. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  14. Curran, John (September 17, 1995). "Oklahoman wins Miss America". The Day . New London, CT. Associated Press. p. A3. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  15. "Alison McCreary is Miss Alabama". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. Associated Press. June 16, 1996. p. 1A. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  16. "Miss Alabama settles into her crown". The Gadsden Times . Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. June 17, 1996. p. A6. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Out and About". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. August 17, 1995. p. 5D. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  18. "Samford's Jana Anderson Takes Arts to Students as Miss Alabama 2000". Seasons. Vol. 17, no. 2. Birmingham, AL: Samford University. Summer 2000. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  19. "Accomplished Members - Pageant Winners". Alpha Delta Pi. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss Alabama
1995
Succeeded by