Shannon Camper

Shannon Camper Chandler (born October 20, 1979) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Glencoe, Alabama who was named Miss Alabama 2004. She succeeded to the title after Deidre Downs, the original titleholder, was named Miss America 2005. She is now an administrator at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Early life
Shannon Christine Camper was born October 20, 1979, in Glencoe, a suburb of Gadsden, in Etowah County, Alabama.<ref name="gads050120"/> Camper's parents are Larry Wayne Camper and Sarah Camper.<ref name="gads050925"/> She has two older brothers, Glen and Chris. She was raised Southern Baptist and baptized at age 7. Camper is a 1998 graduate of Glencoe High School in Glencoe, Alabama.<ref name="gads010806"/><ref name="tusca051204"/>
Career
Camper began entering pageants at age 17 as a junior in high school after her friend, Jana Sanderson, won Miss Etowah County and encouraged her to try competing.<ref name="gads990606"/> In her seven years of pageant competition, Camper earned more than $68,000 in scholarship prize money.<ref name="gads050120"/> Camper was named Miss Lake Martin 1998,<ref name="gads030609"/> Miss Point Mallard 1999,<ref name="gads990606"/><ref name="tusca990620"/> Miss Point Mallard 2001,<ref name="gads030609"/><ref name="uanews010612"/> Miss Colonial Mall-Gadsden 2002,<ref name="gads010806"/><ref name="missam2002"/> Miss University of Alabama 2003,<ref name="gads030609"/><ref name="missam2003"/> and Miss West Central Alabama 2004 before her final Miss Alabama competition.<ref name="missam2004"/> Camper was the first two-time winner of the Miss Point Mallard pageant.<ref name="decad070629"/> She was the first Miss University of Alabama chosen from outside the school's Greek system.<ref name="crimw131023"/>
Entering the 2004 state competition as Miss West Central Alabama 2004, Camper won a preliminary talent award and placed as the first runner-up for the Miss Alabama crown on June 12, 2004.<ref name="tusca040613"/><ref name="gads040613"/> Her competition talent for Miss Alabama was singing "God Bless America".<ref name="albap041021"/> Camper's chosen platform was breast cancer awareness, due in part to a history of the disease in her family.<ref name="albap041021"/><ref name="gads990606"/> She was elevated from first runner-up to Miss Alabama when the original winner, Deidre Downs, was named Miss America 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 18, 2004.<ref name="albap041021"/>
In January 2007, she joined the staff of Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa as the Director of Community Education.<ref name="shelton1"/><ref name="tusca070305"/>
She is currently the Director of Development for Shelton State Community College
Education
She majored in music education at Wallace State Community College and graduated with associate degree in 2000.<ref name="gads050925"/><ref name="gads010806"/> She majored in mass communications with a minor in political science at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and earned a bachelor's degree in 2003.<ref name="gads050120"/> She earned a master's degree in education administration from the University of West Alabama in 2008.<ref name="tusca051204"/>
Personal life
She married her husband, Eric Chandler, on August 9, 2013. They live in Moundville, Alabama, a suburb of Tuscaloosa. They have one daughter, Sarah Evelyn, and are expecting their second in 2016.
Awards and honors
On April 16, 2003, Camper was recognized by the Points of Light Foundation. They honored her with a Daily Point of Light Award for her years of volunteer work to raise awareness of breast cancer and how to avoid it.<ref name="gads990606" /><ref name="gads030518"/>

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