In 1925 the Volunteer began a tradition of including pictures of the most beautiful women students. Contestants were initially drawn from towns, groups, and sororities. Later they were drawn from sororities, the Independent Students Association, and other student organizations. A local selection process winnowed the field to 24 women, and the pictures of those women were sent to a national celebrity with the request that the most beautiful woman be identified and that the top 12 beauties be identified. Over time, the Volunteer began calling the top beauty Miss Volunteer.
In 1961–62, the process was modified. In that year, 64 contestants were presented at the annual Beauty Parade in fall quarter. A panel of local judges narrowed the field to 22, and a second Beauty Parade was then held, with a second set of judges, who rated the 22 finalists. In the interviews with the judges, the women were judged on the basis of features, figure, poise, and personality. In 1964 the tradition ended and was supplanted by the Miss U.T. Pageant, the winner of which represented UT in the Miss America Pageant.