Morgan Alise Ellis, 21, of Mobile is the winner of the 2007 Miss University of South Alabama earning a $1,500 scholarship. Ellis, a junior civil engineering major won the $100 lifestyle and fitness award. She was crowned by Miss USA 2006 Melissa Hadiye Engin. Ellis is the daughter of Chuck Ellis and Wayne and Deborah Sessions.

During the competition, the new Miss USA performed a vocal selection. 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 second runner-up is music senior Elizabeth Marie Pirtle of Billingsley, Ala., earning a $650 scholarship and a $100 talent award; and the first runner-up is Holly Samantha Peek communication sophomore of Niceville, Fla., earning a $750 scholarship and a $100 lifestyle and fitness award. The third runner-up is communication sophomore Amy Jean Prosch of Saraland was the winner of the talent and miss congeniality awards totaling $750. All contestants not placing in the top five positions won a $250 scholarship.

The USA chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity is one of the major sponsors of the Miss USA Scholarship Program. 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.