A New Miss Huntingdon is Crowned

A New Miss Huntingdon is Crowned

Photo: Left-right, Niyah Lucas, Sacoria Garvin, PresLee Pittman, Miss Philanthropic Olivia Bailey, Addison Jacobs, Haley Sutherland, Grace Wiggins, Miss Huntingdon and Miss Congeniality Ariel Dixon, First Runner-up Olivia Elmore, Second Runner-up Kennedy Chambers, Shannon McCarty, Fan Favorite Alexakai Cardoza, and Blair Wyrosdick.  

Montgomery, Ala.—Huntingdon College sophomore Ariel Lenise Dixon of Saraland, Ala., was crowned Miss Huntingdon 2023 and was also honored by her co-contestants as Miss Congeniality at the conclusion of the annual Miss Huntingdon Pageant held Saturday, April 1. Olivia Rae Elmore, a junior from Hueytown, Ala., was named First Runner-Up. Kennedy Grace Davis Chambers, a junior from Birmingham, Ala., was named Second Runner-Up. The Fan Favorite, voted upon by members of the audience, was Alexakai Janay Cardoza, a freshman from Smiths Station, Ala. Miss Philanthropic, the candidate who raised the most money for her philanthropy, was Olivia Melissa Bailey, a junior from Florence, Ala., who will donate more than $5,000 to her chosen charity, the Pancreatic Cancer Network.

Miss Congeniality and Miss Huntingdon Ariel Lenise Dixon, daughter of Latonya and Arthur Dixon of Saraland, Ala., is a sophomore majoring in criminal justice. She serves as vice president for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; a justice on the Judicial Board; a Presidential Fellow; historian for the Black Student Union; a Student Recruiter; an Orientation Leader; and a member of the Honors Program and the Pre-Law and Mental Health Awareness Clubs. Her platform is Women of Excellence.

First Runner-up Olivia Rae Elmore, a junior majoring in business administration, is the daughter of Dana and Keith Elmore of Hueytown, Ala. She is a Presidential Fellow and serves as a Student Recruiter, a member of the CCV Student Council, and a member of the Huntingdon Technology Services staff. Her pageant platform was the Mercy House.

Second Runner-up Kennedy Grace Davis Chambers, daughter of Heather Davis of Birmingham, Ala., is a junior majoring in business administration with a minor in professional communications. She is a member of Phi Mu women’s fraternity, the indoor and beach volleyball teams, the Business Club, the Pre-Law Club, and the CCV Student Council. She represented the philanthropy Kid’s Turn.

Fan Favorite Alexakai Janay Cardoza, daughter of Joanie and Adam Cardoza of Smiths Station, Ala., is a freshman majoring in history with secondary general social studies teacher education. She has participated in the Freshman Leadership Initiative, Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity, Student Recruiters, the Art Club, and the Huntingdon Hawks cheer team, and serves as a work-study student in the Office of Admission. Her platform philanthropy was Thanks USA.

Miss Philanthropic Olivia Melissa Bailey represented the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network for her platform. A cell biology/pre-health major, she is a Presidential Fellow on the sports medicine team; is involved with Huntingdon Campus Ministries; and is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity, Orientation Leaders, Circle K, the Loyola Society, the Pre-Health Club, and the Allies Club. She is the daughter of Melissa and David Bailey of Florence, Ala.

In all, thirteen Huntingdon women participated in the pageant, including the following contestants:

Sacoria Vernessa Garvin, a native of Miami, Fla., is the daughter of Tiffany and La’Cedrick Green. A freshman majoring in English, she has served as a Huntingdon Hawks cheerleader and a member of the Glee Club, the Black Student Union, and Women of Color. She chose the Ladybug Incorporation of Alabama for her pageant platform.

Addison Kate Jacobs of Opp, Ala., represented the organization, Shatterproof, for her platform. A junior business administration major, she has served as an orientation volunteer, a senator for the Student Government Association, and a member of Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity, the Business Club, the Freshman Leadership Initiative, and the indoor and beach volleyball teams. She is the daughter of Brandy and Kevin Jacobs.

Niyah Marie Lucas, a freshman psychology major, is the daughter of Nicole and Bob Lucas of Montgomery, Ala. She is a Presidential Fellow; a senator for the Student Government Association; a counseling services volunteer; the president and founder of the Mental Health Awareness Club; and a member of the Freshman Leadership Initiative, the Glee Club, and the Psychology Club. Her pageant platform was the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She has interned with the Huntingdon College Office of Counseling Services.

Shannon Roark McCarty, a native of Boulder, Colorado, is the daughter of Miriam and Eric McCarty. She is a junior majoring in business administration. She serves as social chair for Phi Mu women’s fraternity, a senator for the Student Government Association, event planner for the Business Club, and a member of the Hawks cheer team, the women’s lacrosse team, College Republicans, and the CCV Student Council. Her philanthropy was the International Bipolar Foundation.

PresLee Daun Pittman, the daughter of Daun and Greg Pittman of Billingsley, Ala., chose Hungry for Music as her philanthropic platform. She is a junior psychology major with a minor in religion. She serves as the founder and director of the Glee Club and is a Huntingdon Hawks cheerleader, an orientation volunteer, and a member of Chi Omega women’s fraternity. She participated in two previous Miss Huntingdon pageants, winning second runner-up honors in 2021 and first runner-up honors in 2022.

Haley Nicole Sutherland, a freshman majoring in mathematics with secondary teacher education, represented the Friendship Mission for her philanthropy. The daughter of Jessica Stapp of Millbrook, Ala., she is a member of the Kingswood Leadership Program, the Honors Program, and the Freshman Leadership Initiative, and serves as a Student Recruiter and assistant social chair for Phi Mu women’s fraternity.

Grace Amber Wiggins, the daughter of Sherri and Hasty Wiggins of Dothan, Ala., is a junior majoring in elementary education. She serves as a senator for the Student Government Association, vice president for Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity, and a member of the cheerleading team and the volleyball team. Her philanthropy was the National Scoliosis Foundation.

Lougener Blair Wyrosdick, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry/pre-health, is the daughter of Lougener and Jamie Wyrosdick of Kinston, Ala. She serves as correspondence chair for the Freshman Leadership Initiative, director of alumni relations for Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity; and a member of the Madison Society, the Future Physicians Club, Circle K, and the Hawks cheer team. Her philanthropy was Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The Miss Huntingdon Pageant is an annual event under the auspices of the Office of Student Development. Scholarships are awarded to the winner and first and second runners-up. This year’s staff director was Chris Mayer, Class of 2022, special assistant to the dean of students. Student pageant directors were seniors Mackenzie Cherry, Jordan Hollis (Miss Huntingdon 2021), Savana Carter, and Erin Cembrale (Miss Huntingdon 2022). The winner was crowned by Ms. Cembrale, a senior biology major from Oyster Bay, New York. Emcees for the program were seniors Savana Carter and Hunter Warr. Judges were Cindy Timmerman, John Wesley Gandy III, and Catie Malone.

Huntingdon College is a coeducational residential liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church offering more than thirty undergraduate programs of study, an Honors Program, Presidential Fellows Program, Kingswood Initiative, choral and instrumental music programs, dance and cheer teams, student organizations including Greek life and Campus Ministries, 21 NCAA-Division III athletic teams, and coed ESports, new for fall 2023. The College also offers the Master of Athletic Training.

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