Patricia Ford Crowned Miss Georgia 2016

Miss Capital City Patrica Ford, a 2015 graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, was crowned Miss Georgia 2016 Saturday night at the RiverCenter of the Performing Arts.

In an auditorium filled with about 1,200 people, Ford was crowned by both 2016 Miss America Betty Cantrell and 2015 Miss Georgia Adeline Kenerly.

Ford, 22, is a native of Johns Creek, Ga. She started the night as one of 15 semifinalists, before the list was dwindled down to 10 following a swimsuit competition. She received $15,000 in scholarship awards, keys to a brand new Kia and the opportunity to compete in the 2017 Miss America Pageant starting on September 2 in Atlantic City, N.J.

Also receiving scholarship awards were first runner-up, Miss Cobb County Brooke Doss ($7,500); second runner-up, Miss Golden Isles Alyssa Beasley ($5,000); third runner-up, Miss Rome Chari Guzman ($3,500); and fourth runner-up, Miss Southeast Georgia Sarah Deloach ($2,500). The remaining semi-finalists received a $1,000 scholarship and the remaining top fifteen received a $1,500 scholarship.

“It’s an honor to represent the state of Georgia and to represent our state at the national level in September,” said Ford in an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer after the competition. “It’s something I’m really looking forward to. ...I’ll work hard and do everything that I can to make our state proud and to be a gracious, loving and serving Miss Georgia for the next 365 days.”

Ford’s platform issue is promoting Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. During the talent competition, she performed ballet en pointe to “Explosive” by Bond.

Later, Ford was asked an interview question about a jury in a recent invasion of privacy lawsuit awarding wrestler Hulk Hogan more than $100 million. When asked if she thought celebrities should expect the same level of privacy as the average American citizen, she said privacy is a freedom that everyone in the country should enjoy, even those in the spotlight.

“However, we do have to remember that celebrities, and Miss America, stand as role models for citizens,” she said. “So they must take responsibility for their actions.”

In 2015, Ford graduated with a bachelor of science in business administration with a concentration in marketing, and she plans to pursue a master’s in business administration. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and performed on China’s largest TV network, reaching thousands of people. She is currently employed at Anisa International as a marketing assistant. She plans to pursue a career in social entrepreneurship.

Ford, who is half Chinese, said in her bio that “nothing’s better to me than my Mom’s home-cooked dumplings. Also, anything chocolate.”

Forty-nine women from across the state competed in the 72^nd Annual Miss Georgia Pageant. Contestants competed in preliminary competitions in the categories of interview, swimsuit, talent, and evening wear leading up to Saturday night’s final competition.

The top ten semifinalists were Miss University of Georgia; Miss Southeast Georgia; Miss Cobb County; Miss Troup County; Miss Golden Isles; Miss Middle West Georgia ; Miss Rome; Miss Albany; Miss Greater Atlanta and Miss Capital City.

This story was originally published June 18, 2016 at 10:56 PM with the headline "Patricia Ford Crowned Miss Georgia 2016."