Campus briefs

Student crowned 'Miss Santa Clara'

Santa Clara senior Nicole Fox was awarded the top prize in the 2006 Miss Santa Clara pageant Jan. 7.

Two other Santa Clara students rounded out the top three, with sophomore Jessica DeBolt and junior Stephanie Schutt taking 1st and 2nd runners-up.

Fox also took the community service award. Schutt won the Miss Congeniality and top interview awards.

As Miss Santa Clara, Fox received $5,000 in scholarship money. All contestants won $750 in scholarships.

"I went into this looking for a fun experience and the scholarship money that came as a participant. I didn't expect to win," Fox said.

During her tenure, Fox hopes to focus on youth community education. As Miss Santa Clara, she will attend the Miss California pageant June 26.

"I wish more people would do it," she said. "It's a great program."

Mexican presidential debate on campus next week

Santa Clara will host one of two debates held in the Bay Area between representatives of Mexican presidential candidates discussing contemporary problems in Mexico next week in Mayer Theatre.

The 2006 Mexican elections mark the first time in history that Mexican citizens living abroad will be able to vote in national elections. In addition to the presidency, all 500 seats in the Congress and all 128 seats in the Senate are up for election.

A main topic on the agenda will be relations between Mexico and the United States.

Manuel Camacho Solis, who will represent the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), was the former mayor of Mexico City.

Representing the Institutional Revolutionary Party will be Ambassador Roberta Lajous, Mexico's permanent representative at the United Nations in Vienna and New York. Former congressman Juan Molinar Horcasitas will represent the National Action Party (PAN).

The event is co-sponsored by World Affairs Council of Northern California, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and Bank of America.

The debate will be moderated by Amador Bustos, president and CEO of Bustos Media LLP, Celina Rodriguez, anchor for Telemundo, and Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

From staff reports. E-mail news@thesantaclara.com.