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Miss HU Encourages Her Peers to Adopt Healthy Lifestyle
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Poise, grace, an enchanting piano solo and an inspiring platform led to the crowning of Desiree Williams at the 16th annual Miss Hampton University Scholarship Pageant. Williams, a senior health and physical education major from Peachtree, Ga., says that becoming Miss Hampton University has been her dream from the beginning.
“I actually visited Hampton for the first time during my senior year of high school, and it just so happened that the pageant was taking place that weekend,” Williams said. “After witnessing the pageant, I finally decided that not only would I attend Hampton University, I would one day be Miss Hampton University.”
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Williams admitted that she lost sight of that dream during her tenure at Hampton, but was inspired again by her grandmother, who reminded her of the initial plan. With the support of her family and a passion for physical education, Williams decided to go for the gold with a platform entitled “Staying Healthy, the Natural Way.”
The pageant, held on Oct. 8., was based on the popular stage play and film “Dream Girls,” with the tagline reading “All You Have to do is Dream…And She’ll be There.” The contestants were scored on a series of criteria including interview, swimsuit, talent, evening gown, as well as a question and answer segment. Williams wowed the audience and the judges with a classical piano solo and exciting platform.
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Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign, William’s goal is to help the campus and local community to get healthy through exercise. A certified yoga instructor since 2009, Williams plans to continue teaching weekly yoga sessions on campus and also wants to start a walking club.
Within the community, Williams wants to initiate a program that invites middle and high school students to partake in 60-minute exercise sessions, while their parents attend sessions focused on health and wellness.
With big plans for the campus and community, Williams says that she is still grasping the fact that her long-time dream has finally come to fruition.
“When my name was finally announced, it was mind-blowing for me,” she said. “It was almost unbelievable. After working so hard for something I wanted, it was awesome to see my work pay off.”
- Jessica Moore
Mr. Pirate Represents the Hampton Man
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When students think of the “Hampton man” they list traits as such as the following: a nice smile, well read, well dressed, and personable with his peers. Leighton Roye embodies the Hampton man. He always walks around campus with a bright smile on his face and ready to make someone days brighter. Roye would have never thought that he would represent the “Hampton man” ideal as Mr. Pirate.
Roye, a senior history major from Danbury, Conn., has been aspiring to be Mr. Pirate since he was a sophomore. While working with the Mr. Pirate committee his sophomore and junior years he admired the hard work and dedication that was put into the pageant. He saw that there was more to the pageant than just a popularity contest. The pageant gives Hampton men a chance to show off their many talents.
When the Mr. Pirate sash was placed on his chest on Oct. 1, he knew that things would be a little different. But, he was ready to take on the new responsibility that comes with his new title. Roye’s goal is be a positive male role model to the student body. Roye would like to enhance the student morale on campus by creating events for students to take part in.
“I would hope that if they saw Mr. Pirate at an event then they would think it was cool to go and involve themselves in it,” he said. “ This is my senior year I am ready to have fun. I will also make sure that the students of Hampton University have an amazing and productive year.”
- Carla Gibson