Shannon Camper
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born |
Shannon Christine Camper October 20, 1979[1] Glencoe, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Education |
Wallace State Community College The University of Alabama University of West Alabama |
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Title(s) |
Miss Lake Martin 1998 Miss Point Mallard 1999 Miss Point Mallard 2001 Miss Colonial Mall-Gadsden 2002 Miss University of Alabama 2003 Miss West Central Alabama 2004 Miss Alabama 2004 |
| Spouse |
Theodore Gryska (m. 2005 – div.) Eric Chandler (m. 2013 – |
Shannon Camper Chandler (born October 20, 1979) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Glencoe, Alabama who was named Miss Alabama 2004. She succeeded to the title after Deidre Downs, the original titleholder, was named Miss America 2005. She is now an administrator at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Early life
Shannon Christine Camper was born October 20, 1979, in Glencoe, a suburb of Gadsden, in Etowah County, Alabama.[2] Camper's parents are Larry Wayne Camper and Sarah Camper.[3] She has two older brothers, Glen and Chris. She was raised Southern Baptist and baptized at age 7. Camper is a 1998 graduate of Glencoe High School in Glencoe, Alabama.[4][5]
Career
Camper began entering pageants at age 17 as a junior in high school after her friend, Jana Sanderson, won Miss Etowah County and encouraged her to try competing.[6] In her seven years of pageant competition, Camper earned more than $68,000 in scholarship prize money.[2] Camper was named Miss Lake Martin 1998,[7] Miss Point Mallard 1999,[8][6] Miss Point Mallard 2001,[7][9] Miss Colonial Mall-Gadsden 2002,[4][10] Miss University of Alabama 2003,[7][11] and Miss West Central Alabama 2004 before her final Miss Alabama competition.[12] Camper was the first two-time winner of the Miss Point Mallard pageant.[13] She was the first Miss University of Alabama chosen from outside the school's Greek system.[14]
Entering the 2004 state competition as Miss West Central Alabama 2004, Camper won a preliminary talent award and placed as the first runner-up for the Miss Alabama crown on June 12, 2004.[15][16] Her competition talent for Miss Alabama was singing "God Bless America".[1] Camper's chosen platform was breast cancer awareness, due in part to a history of the disease in her family.[6][1] She was elevated from first runner-up to Miss Alabama when the original winner, Deidre Downs, was named Miss America 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 18, 2004.[1]
In January 2007, she joined the staff of Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa as the Director of Community Education.[17][18]
She is currently the Director of Development for Shelton State Community College
Education
She majored in music education at Wallace State Community College and graduated with associate degree in 2000.[4][3] She majored in mass communications with a minor in political science at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and earned a bachelor's degree in 2003.[2] She earned a master's degree in education administration from the University of West Alabama in 2008.[5]
Personal life
She married her husband, Eric Chandler, on August 9, 2013. They live in Moundville, Alabama, a suburb of Tuscaloosa. They have one daughter, Sarah Evelyn, and are expecting their second in 2016.
Awards and honors
On April 16, 2003, Camper was recognized by the Points of Light Foundation. They honored her with a Daily Point of Light Award for her years of volunteer work to raise awareness of breast cancer and how to avoid it.[19][6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Shadrix, Theresa (October 21, 2004). "Gadsden’s Camper named Miss Alabama in 'God’s time'". The Alabama Baptist (Birmingham, AL). Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- 1 2 3 McCreless, Patrick (January 20, 2005). "Miss Alabama comes home again". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Camper-Gryska". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). September 26, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Dobbs, Aimee (August 6, 2001). "New Miss Colonial Mall-Gadsden hits the campaign trail for awareness". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). p. B5. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- 1 2 "Gryska-Camper". Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL). December 4, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Attinger, Phil (June 6, 1999). "Crowning glory". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). pp. C1, C4. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Bingham, Joshua W. (June 9, 2009). "Platforms". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). p. B4. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Miss Chattahoochee Valley is named Miss Alabama". Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL). Associated Press. June 20, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "UA Students Compete in Miss Alabama Pageant". UA News (Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama). June 12, 2001. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "State Contestants - Alabama 2002". Miss America. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ "State Contestants - Alabama 2003". Miss America. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ "State Contestants - Alabama 2004". Miss America. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ Stewart, Patrice (June 29, 2007). "Pageants were her life for 25 years". The Decatur Daily (Decatur, AL). Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ Frost, Jason (October 23, 2013). "Miss UA pageant celebrates 40 years". The Crimson White (Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama). Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Miss Alabama crowned". Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL). June 14, 2004. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Downs wins Miss Alabama, Camper first runner-up". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). June 13, 2004. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Shannon Gryska Named Director of Community Education" (DOC) (Press release). Tuscaloosa, AL: Shelton State Community College. February 27, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ "College news". Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL). March 5, 2007. p. 3B. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ↑ Bingham, Joshua W. (May 18, 2003). "Lighting the way". The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, AL). p. B4. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
External links
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Deidre Downs |
Miss Alabama 2004* |
Succeeded by Alexa Jones |