Like most people, junior Danica Talon never pictured herself killing it on stage as a contestant for a pageant. That is until she competed in the 8th annual Ms. Philippines Pageant that took place on January 24 this year. Every year, representatives from colleges around the New Jersey and New York area enter to compete in a pageant to be named Ms. Philippines for that year. The pageant was lucky enough to be graced with Danica’s cultural ensemble (which I assure you was not one to mess with) and talent, in which she got to show off her skills in the makeup department.
Where are you from? North Jersey
What year are you? Junior
What is your major? Communications and Media Studies with a Computer Science minor
What activities are you involved in? I’m an active member of FUPAC (Fordham University Philippine-American Club), one of Flash magazine’s beauty editors, treasurer for REACT to FILM, and tech crew for Fordham Nightly News/Fordham Mornings.
Why did you choose Fordham? Being able to have the college campus experience while still being able to easily go to my favorite city in the world, New York City.
How did you come to the decision for doing a pageant like Ms. Philippines? I’m not usually the type of person to be on stage, I’ve always loved being behind the scenes. But then I decided, since the opportunity was presented in front of me and I would probably never do it again, why not? The only way to get rid of my stage fright is to do what I am most scared of: performing on stage. I don’t want to be talking to my grandkids one day and say, “Oh, I didn’t do it because I was afraid.” That wouldn’t be an interesting story.
What goes into planning for something a pageant? First it takes a lot of thinking about what your talent, culture (in terms of Ms. Philippines), and other performances will be and how it will make you stand out from the crowd. Once you figure that out, there’s only one thing you can do: practice. The more you practice, the more fun it is to perform on stage. You also have to practice smiling; you don’t want to look like you have a stick up your butt, you want to look like you’re enjoying yourself.
What is your favorite thing about New York? It is never a dull moment in New York City. I love just walking around, enjoying the scenery, and people watching. You are bound to find something new and exciting whenever and wherever you are in New York City.
Do you have a favorite NYC memory? I think some of my favorite memories in NYC were the unplanned ones. Going into the city on a whim with friends is so much fun because you never know what you will find.
What was your favorite class and/or professor at Fordham? So far, my favorite class was Basic Feature Writing with Professor Holly Hepp-Galvan. She is not only the sweetest professor ever, but she truly cares about her students. The class itself was fun because we got to choose what to write about and learned how to improve on our writing.
Least favorite class? I wouldn’t say biology was my absolute least favorite class because I got to meet some great people, but it definitely was the most challenging.
Favorite spot on campus? The little walkway between JMH and Keating. It’s so beautiful and personally I think it’s the best place to read a book.
What is your dream job? I’m a little unsure between a journalism or a public relations career path. However, if I am able to, I would love to start a non-profit organization that helps counsel rape and abused victims.
What do you think is the best thing about Fordham? Personally, the best thing about Fordham is how many doors members of the university community can open to the students. I’ve done so many fun things not only because I live so close to the city but because Fordham has presented so many opportunities.
Pick one!
Bronx Zoo or Botanical Gardens? Botans!
Arthur Ave/Fordham Road? Always Arthur Ave.
Cafeteria or Grille? Grille
RamVan or Subway? Subway, all the way.
Met or MoMA? I can’t choose, they are both so interesting in their own way!
Hot Dog or Bagel? Hot dog, in all its unhealthy glory.
Broadway or Off-Broadway? Broadway just because I haven’t seen enough Off-Broadway shows.
Radio City or Madison Square Garden? MSG is the place to be.
Central Park or Brooklyn Bridge? I’ve actually never been on the Brooklyn Bridge (don’t get mad!), but Central Park is so relaxing to walk through.