Hope Anderson, 19, a junior mass communications major at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, recently returned home from the Big Easy with the title of Miss Crescent City New Orleans. Anderson will represent New Orleans in the Miss Louisiana pageant June 19,29,21 at the Monroe Civic Center. In addition to the title, Anderson won the talent competition by dancing in pointe shoes with a jazzy humor to Prince's "It's About That Walk,” and also won the evening gown competition.

Anderson is the daughter of Onna and Alan Gallagher and Mike and Brenda Anderson, all of Monroe. She is a dean's list 4.0 GPA student on full academic scholarship at ULM and also has scholarships as a vocalist and dancer at the university. She was 2006 valedictorian of the Ouachita Parish High School and recently nominated for 2008 USA Today National All-Star College Academic Team. Additionally Hope is the Vice President of ULM Scouts and the President at large, and a dance teacher at Donna Ward School of Dance.

She is the spokesperson for Children’s Miracle Network, Pilots for Patients, an active volunteer for nursing home ministries as well as volunteers in civic areas such as American Red Cross, Locks of Love, Special Olympics, telethons, bone marrow drives, and other service organizations at ULM and with her church.

She has most recently spoken, entertained, and emceed at Kiwanis Club, Relay for Life, Baptist Children’s Home, Stars of Tomorrow, and the Triple LLL Club for Senior Citizens. She also produced, publicized with ads and TV appearances, and then entertained, and emceed at the “I Dance 4 Hope for the Kids of CMN” fund raiser at the Strauss Theater in Monroe, LA, April 5, 2008. There were over 150 dancers ranging from 6 to age 86 who came together to perform and raise awareness for CMN and the Miss Louisiana Organization.

Her platform is "Love the Skin You're In, Invest in Others and Win" which strives to bring attention to building self-esteem in all age groups through service to others.