Third-year Sauder student Betty Yunlei Lu is a proud competitor at the Miss World Canada pageant.
Lu is new to the experience of competing in beauty pageants, but her background in modelling and dancing has helped her to excel.
After winning the China International Model Advertising Contest, Lu was given a scholarship and invitation to participate in the Miss World competition.
According to Lu, she was hesitant about entering at first due to misunderstanding of the significance of the pageant, but eventually decided to take part after seeing the influence and power that contestants have to contribute to charitable causes.
Lu said, “It’s not just about competing in outside beauty, but about using your platform to make a better impact [on the world].”
Her experiences at Sauder have prepared her to view this as an opportunity to put into practice her experience with organizing fundraisers and social entrepreneurial projects.
“Sauder did a good job training me in leadership skills so I can use them whenever I’m organizing my own charity events,” said Lu about a freeze mob she put together to raise awareness for children with special needs.
Lu is running on a platform that focuses on ideas of multiculturalism and improving awareness of disabilities in children.
She plans on hosting events such as multicultural performances and cultural exchange events to promote diversity in Vancouver. Her interest in multiculturalism began at a young age when her family immigrated to Canada.
“I want to do something for newcomers to Canada, like how my family was at one point,” said Lu.
Lu seeks to represent and empower the multicultural communities in Canada through her role with Miss World Canada.
“I’m still leading the same events and involved in the same things I was before,” said Lu, “just through my involvement [in the pageant] I can tell that my impact is stronger.”
Lu is representing Vancouver and UBC as a whole at Miss World Canada and hopes to receive the support of her classmates.
“UBC is my home school. I am proud to be a UBC student, representing UBC and Vancouver.”