Miss Howard Named Second Runner Up in Weekend Pageant

Over one hundred Howard students traveled ten hours to support one of their own, Ashlee Thomas, to compete for Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

"Even though the ride was really long and exhausting, it was worth it," Marsha Leo, senior advertising major, said. "She was amazing and we are all so proud of her."

By the end of the pageant on Saturday night in Atlanta, Thomas, who currently serves as Miss Howard University, was announced as the Second Runner-Up Miss NBCA. The crown and title of Miss NBCA was given to Ashleigh Taylor of Tennessee State University.

The pageant, NBCA's Competition for Black Queen, hosted by the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. is 26 years old. This year the theme was "HBCUs: Meeting the Challenges, Fulfilling the Promise."

The thirteen finalists who competed performed talents and answered questions with the goals of the NBCAF in mind. Taylor gave an emotional spoken word piece titled "the black woman is dead" where at one point she tearfully pointed at the crowd and screamed "you killed her!" Thomas was asked the question 'what would you say to a pregnant teen?" during the question-and-answer portion of the evening.

The African-American history and excellence is what former Miss NBCA Hall of Fame Adrian Pruitt says makes the event stand out from other pageants she's attended.

"Most pageants push nationalism, but I think it's really great how this pageant values African-American culture," Pruitt, a 2011 Howard graduate, said. "It plays a huge role in taking pride in our universities and our people, which is very needed."

Since winning Miss Howard, Thomas met and became close with Pruitt. Pruitt calls her "a little sister" and with a smile said she "would give the world for Ashlee."

Though the two have formed a close bond, for Thomas, knowing that two Miss Howards--Kendall Isadore, Miss Howard 2009, was also Miss NBCA Hall of Fame--held the Miss NBCA title before her made this event that much more important.

"Knowing that Kendall and Adrian had come before me and won the title, I felt like I had to come really hard," she said. The turnout did not deter her positive outlook. "And I feel like I really did just that."

To her peers, optimism is synonymous with Thomas. No matter the circumstances she always remains to be keep a positive outlook, Daniel Cokes, who serves as Mr. Howard, said. Cokes attended the pageant to support Thomas and said that she was, as always, "poised and genuine."

"I couldn't be more proud of Ashlee," Cokes, a senior legal communications major, said. "Watching her on stage... It is clear she is the epitome of a queen."

Such a production requires much preparation that starts weeks ahead at separate campuses and comes together in Atlanta starting Tuesday of the week. In the end, the "queens" form a bond that supercedes competition.

"It really is like a sisterhood," she said. "We're all very different, we have our own personalities, but we all share a strong love of our schools."

Bringing different HBCUs together for one event, promoting academic and personal achievement for African-Ameican females and males is what this pageant is all about, Dortch said.

"This is mainly a showcase. Here tonight are some of the most talented, intellectual young ladies in the country," Dorstch said. "They all came here as winners and they will leave as winners."