For Bowling Green State University senior Becky Minger, representing the state of Ohio in the Miss National Sweetheart pageant this past week was far from what she had expected.

"When I was younger I felt like I was the ugly duckling and the misfit of the group; I thought this could never be a possibility for me," Minger said.

Some of her past titles include Ms. Greater Dayton (her first), third runner up in Miss Ohio Teen USA, first runner up as Miss Maumee Valley 2008, first runner up as Miss Ohio 2008 and most recently placing in the top 11 of 39 other states at the 2008 Miss National Sweetheart Pageant.

"Pageants give me the chance to showcase my own talents and I love that I get to be involved in a respectable program," Minger said. "Plus, I have learned things in these pageants that I would never have learned in a classroom."

The Miss National Sweetheart Pageant was set up and scored like that of the Miss America Pageant.

"One thing that I like about the pageants is that it is not about the money; it's about representing your state and even your country," Minger said.

The Miss Sweetheart pageant has five categories that are each a percentage of the score.

Minger herself was asked the difficult question of whether or not she would be a surrogate mother for any of her sisters in the Alpha Phi Sorority.

The talent portion is 35 percent of the overall score and Minger chose to sing Camille Claudel's "Gold".

The evening gown category counts for 20 percent of the score and the on-stage question is worth 5 percent. The infamous swimsuit category makes up the last 15 percent of the total score.

"This category is a way to test you on how you can handle yourself in tough situations," Minger said, "and if you can handle walking in front of people in a swimsuit, then I think you handle just about anything in life."

One of the largest portions of being in a pageant is presenting a platform, which is a belief that each woman feels strongly about. Minger's platform in particular is "Building self-esteem through discovering Y-O-U!" She hopes to help other woman to feel stronger about themselves and to find out who they are.

"When I go to pageants I am there to get the job, not there for the sashes and roses," Minger said.