A Miss Penn State 2005 will not be crowned this year because the Miss Penn State Pageant has been canceled due to lack of funding.

Nicholas Smith, Miss Penn State Scholarship Organization executive president, said this year's budget was not enough to cover the costs of the event.

He said unlike other pageants, such as Miss Black Penn State and Miss Asian Penn State, Miss Penn State is affiliated with the Miss America Organization, and receives its funding through different means than the other pageants. "We didn't have enough funding because we only received 70 percent of our budget from UPAC and the other funding we had wasn't enough to cover the cost of Eisenhower Auditorium," he said.

Nicole Sandretto, University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) president, said funding for the Miss Penn State Pageant was limited because this year's committee decided to "spread the funding over a variety of programs."

"We funded programs at a lower level than past committees have, but as a result we were able to partially support more programs," she said. "Miss Penn State wasn't able to complete the rest of their budget."

Sandretto added that in the past, UPAC provided the Miss Penn State organization with any funding it requested, which was usually the $6,000 cost of holding the event at Eisenhower Auditorium. However, she said this type of funding limits the number of events UPAC can sponsor.

"It doesn't necessarily provide for as broad an experience," she said.

Amy Deatrich, Miss Penn State 2004, expressed her disappointment over the cancellation. "I think it's a shame," she said. "It's unfortunate when there isn't enough funding. The Miss Penn State Pageant is one of the best in the state."

Deatrich said her crowning has been "a great outlet" for her talent, and has also allowed her to get involved with the local community.

"The Penn State community is so loving toward Miss Penn State," she said. "It's just such a good experience to constantly be public speaking and to do a lot of community service. It's been the best opportunity I've ever had."

But Deatrich said the most important aspect of the contest is that it's "a great scholarship program."

Kristen Buben (senior-economics) said she would have been a contestant this year if the pageant had been held.

"I find it disappointing that the pageant, which was open to all girls, was canceled," she said in an e-mail message. Buben added the Miss Penn State Pageant is the first step for contestants to make it to the Miss Pennsylvania and Miss America Scholarship Pageants.

Buben said although she will be graduating this year, she hopes the pageant will be held again next year.

Deatrich expressed the importance of the pageant to all contestants. "Just participating is a wonderful experience."