Attala County native reaches Top 11, wins scholarship at Mississippi Miss Hospitality

HATTIESBURG (July 18, 2025) — Attala County’s Taylor Griffin took home honors during night one of on-stage competition at the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Friday night in Hattiesburg.

A preliminary area of competition, the Mississippi Speech counts for 20% of a contestant’s overall score, with the other 80% consisting of commercial competition, evening gown, panel interviews, and one-on-one interviews.

Mississippi speech winners were awarded the Jay Slaughter Memorial Scholarship for their 90-second speeches creatively showcasing the state’s history, tourism resources, and business assets. Winners were Taylor Griffin, Attala County; Taylor Garretson, Greene County; Malee Davidson, Ridgeland; and Molly Kate Carley, Sumrall.

“Each of these young women brought something uniquely powerful to the competition this week. Their speeches were a testament to the heart and soul of Mississippi — its people, places, and potential,” said Kristen Brock, program director. “We’re incredibly proud of the dedication all 47 contestants have shown over the past several months and can’t wait to see how they shine in the final night of competition.”

Griffin is a sophomore at University of Mississippi majoring in Biological Sciences. She is a member of the Phi Mu sorority, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors college, and Luckyday Scholars program. At Ole Miss, she serves on the First Year Encounters, Intramural Volleyball, and Caring Companions organizations, and she is the assistant Vice President of Committees and Operations for her sorority chapter. Taylor enjoys baking, traveling, choreographed cycling, and spending time with family and friends.

Additionally, Griffin finished in the Top 11 of the final competition.

The complete press release for preliminaries can be found HERE.

About the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Program: Presented by the Hattiesburg Tourism Commission (VisitHATTIESBURG), the Mississippi Miss Hospitality program brings together the best and brightest young women to annually compete for the state title. Contestants must be young women between the ages of 18 and 24, enrolled in college, and represent their hometown. The program supports more than $100,000 in college and university scholarships. The winner serves a full year as the state’s goodwill ambassador for tourism and economic development by traveling and promoting Mississippi’s assets to visitors and industries. The Mississippi Miss Hospitality tradition began in 1949 under Gov. Fielding Wright and the Mississippi Legislature.