What do beauty queens and automotive technology students have in common? Sometimes they are the same person! Angel Sarich, a student in Northwest Mississippi Community College’s Chrysler College Automotive Program (CAP), recently rode in the local Christmas parade wearing a crown as the reigning Miss Magnolia Tate County.

Sarich is one of 13 students currently enrolled in the CAP program. She took two years of Technology Applications in high school, participating in Technology Students Association competitions, and studied automotive service technology at Senatobia Tate County Vocational Technical Center.

“My mom told me about the program at Northwest,” Sarich said. She had originally planned to go to Nashville Auto Diesel school, but after checking out the program, decided that CAP would be the best because of the availability of internships.

Potential CAP students are screened in areas such as work ethic, ACT scores and grade point average before they can enter the program. Students spend their first semester in the classroom before they go to a dealership for a paid internship where they work under a mentor. Curriculum is constantly being updated to remain consistent with Chrysler technology. Students in the CAP program complete all requirements in all technical and general academic courses and will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. Chrysler is the only automotive program that mandates students to have an associate degree, according to David Yount, Northwest CAP instructor.

Sarich will start her internship with Landers Dodge in Southaven in March, working with a mentor who will guide her in practical experience on what she has learned. “I love the program. It is so much fun, and I have gotten a lot out of it so far,” Sarich said of her classroom experience. She plans to specialize, but she is not sure which area yet. “It will be something I really enjoy,” she said.

“Angel is a terrific asset to the program and has a wonderful attitude. She is very determined, works really hard, and is well on her way to attaining status of Master Technician. She will also be an asset to her sponsoring dealership, Landers Dodge in Southaven.” Yount said.

In addition to competing in beauty pageants for the past three years, the 2007 Senatobia High School graduate has spent the past 13 years studying and nine years competing in gymnastics. She did not start out competing in gymnastics. “I was told I could not compete and get a good score, because I lacked physical strength,” Sarich said, adding, “So I proved them wrong.” In competition, she received very high scores in her events, which include vault, bars, beam and floor. She works part time at Gym Plus in Senatobia. She lives in Como with her mom, Nancy and her brother, Bubba.

For more information on the CAP program, call Yount at 662-562-3391 or e-mail wdyount@northwestms.edu.