The student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers hosted Miss Black UofL in Stricker Hall’s Middleton Auditorium last week. This is the second year the pageant was a local preliminary for Miss Kentucky.
This year’s winner was Mackenzie Ross, an Equine Business major from Marrietta, Georgia. She will represent NSBE in July at the Miss Kentucky pageant in Lexington.
The first runner up was Kendra Malone (who also won the People’s Choice Award). She is a Graphic Design major and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
The second runner up was Stephanie Henry, a senior Social Work major. Henry also won the “Professor Hart” award, which goes to a contestant who shows compassion for her community through service on and off campus. The award is named after Brenda Hart, a retired Engineering professor who founded NSBE at UofL in 1974. Professor Hart was in the audience and presented the award.
The current Homecoming Kinq and Queen, Jordan Potts and Keturah Smith, served as emcees for the night.
Erica Gray, advisor, acknowledged the Miss Black UofL pageant committee and NSBE members for displaying leadership and commitment during this process.
“I am proud of their efforts in planning and preparing for this event. This is event is continuing to support their goal to bridge the gap with the university student body.” Gray said.
This year, the pageant opened with a moment of silence for Savannah Walker, a UofL student who was killed a week ago in a shooting at the Tim Faulkner Gallery.
