Oran woman to compete for Miss USA title

Southeast Missourian

An Oran, Mo., woman will represent the state in the upcoming Miss USA pageant.

Amber Seyer, 20, won the title of Miss Missouri USA in Springfield, Mo., on Sunday. The Miss USA Pageant will be in March or April. Organizers won't release the date until later this month.

"I'm very happy for her. She did extremely well," said Seyer's mother, Sherry.

Amber Seyer also earned special recognition in the interview portion of the judging, as well as winning the title of Miss Congeniality.

"Her interview question was very tough," Sherry Seyer said. "The question was, 'Which do you consider more of a threat to the United States, terrorism in Iraq and Iran or the nuclear threats of North Korea?'"

Sherry Seyer said she's still in shock over her daughter's title. "I probably will be for another few days," she said.

Prizes Amber Seyer received from winning the pageant include scholarship money, a mink coat, shoes and makeup.

She entered the pageant as Miss Scott County USA. A majority of the contestants entered preliminary pageants, which paid their way into the Miss Missouri USA pageant, but Seyer paid her own entry fee, her mother said.

She is a junior at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. and is studying international management and marketing. She graduated from Oran High School in 2004 and was a contestant in the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2003.

Read more about Amber Seyer -- including an interview -- on Sunday's Lifestyles page.