Anne Elizabeth Buys

Anne Elizabeth Buys

Miss Mississippi 2017

Age: 21

Hometown: Vicksburg, Mississippi

Platform Issue: Water for Life

Talent: Ballet en Pointe – “Viva!”

College Major: Communication

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communication with a double emphasis in Broadcasting and Public Relations

My Most Significant Event: Hurricane Katrina truly made me realize how a natural disaster can alter our way of life in an instant. My family went without power and clean drinking water for a week, and thousands of others were much more greatly affected. Three years later, my family and I had the opportunity to sponsor a water well for a village in India, and we realized that the water crisis we experienced during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina did not compare to the hardships others endure daily regarding their lack of clean water. Hurricane Katrina forever altered the face of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and how our government responds to natural disasters. Even at 9 years old, this experience helped me appreciate the basic human necessities that we all take for granted.

My Interesting Family Facts: My grandfather was a World War II veteran who survived the Battle of the Bulge and I have three brothers who range in height from 6’5-6’9!

Bio: Anne Elizabeth is a senior at Mississippi State University. Her platform, “Water for Life,” is a result of 8 years of working to raise funds for clean water wells in underdeveloped parts of the world, while also collecting and distributing water to Americans in the wake of natural disasters and water crises across the United States. Clean water is essential for life, and Anne Elizabeth plans to make sure it is available to everyone.