Brains, beauty, business

By Jay Seidel, On-line Forty-Niner

April 1,1998

 

Many Cal State Long Beach students have to run off to work after classes. One Cal State Long Beach student sometimes has to run off in the middle of class, and her office is her car.

 

Junior consumer affairs major Erica DeRemer's schedule must remain flexible and she must be ready to appear at anytime - she's Miss Long Beach 1998.

 

"I have a business suit in my car along with the crown and sash just in case I have to go," she said. "I need my pager on me at all times."

 

Along with the title of Miss Long Beach comes the de-mand to attend numerous citywide functions. DeRemer acts as a spokesperson for The Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce Jaycees and is required to make many public appearances including charity events and ribbon cuttings.

 

DeRemer said she looks at the position as a way to meet people and to network with local businesses and organizations. On one of her jobs at a Stingray's game she was offered a public relations internship with the team, she said.

 

Despite all the glory of being crowned Miss Long Beach, the title also comes with much criticism. Many people believe beauty pageants contribute to the exploitation of women.

 

DeRemer is quick to respond. "If you don't want to be judged by the way you look or how you speak into a microphone, then don't be in a beauty pageant," she said vehemently.

 

"I see pageants as a way to network, and a way to open doors," DeRemer said. "It's not like I'm asked to go to a chamber meeting in my bikini."

 

The Downey native has competed in beauty pageants since age three.

 

She entered and won numerous local baby pageants until she was old enough to enter the larger pageants. She was crowned Miss Downey at age 16. She then competed in Miss Teen California USA, where she was named as a finalist.

 

However, the 20-year-old student has not always been successful at pageants.

 

"I competed in Miss L.A. County, USA, and I didn't do so well," she said with a smile.

 

Her next competition was the Miss Long Beach Pageant.

 

"I wanted to do it last year, but I felt I was too young to enter," she said. "I was barely 19 and was not ready to compete with the 25-year-old contestants."

 

The age requirement for contestants in The Miss Long Beach Pageant is 18-25.

 

"I was just happy to be a finalist," she said. "I was a lot younger than most of the girls."

 

DeRemer said she has dreamed of being Miss America since she was a young girl. "When I was younger I couldn't say 'America,' so I ran around saying 'I'm Miss Erica,'" she said.

 

The next step for DeRemer is the Miss California Pageant in August.

 

"Beauty pageants are not my lifetime goal," she said. "School is more important, but it would be nice to win."

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