Erica Elaine Syklawer of Dothan, Ala., has been crowned the 2005 Miss University of South Alabama, earning a $1,500 scholarship. Syklawer, a senior premedicine and art history major at USA, also won the $250 academic and $100 swimsuit awards. She was crowned by Miss USA 2004 Anna Reynolds. Syklawer is the daughter of Rick and Evelyn Syklawer.

During the competition, the new Miss USA performed a contemporary piece on piano by William Gillock, "Fountain in the Rain." She will begin preparing to compete in the Miss Alabama Pageant to be held in June at Samford University in Birmingham. This is a preliminary program, that leads to the Miss America Pageant.

The fourth runner-up is drama sophomore Camille Nicole Perillo of Cantonment, Fla., earning a $450 scholarship; the third runner-up is biochemistry junior Grace Destin Landers of Leighton, Ala., earning a $550 scholarship; the second runner-up is biomedical sciences freshman Holly Samantha Peek of Niceville, Fla., earning a $650 scholarship; and the first runner-up is mathematics and statistics junior Morgan Alise Ellis of Mobile earning a $750 scholarship.

The USA chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity is one of the major sponsors of the Miss USA Pageant. A portion of the funds raised from the event will support the chapter's philanthropy, Push America, which has a purpose of instilling lifelong service in fraternity members and serving people with disabilities. Nationwide, Pi Kappa Phi members have raised millions of dollars for the projects and programs of Push America.