Mikaylah Clipper, a public health major, was crowned Miss Black UofL 2018. Clipper also won the Professor Hart award, named after Brenda Hart, founder of the UofL chapter of NSBE. This award is given to the contestant who shows compassion for her community through service on and off campus. In addition to this title, Clipper also won $500 to support her platform and volunteer work against child sexual abuse awareness in the black community. She will work with the Exploited Children’s Help organization. 

Other contestants this year included: Oby Igwe, Biology & Asian Studies; Ruth Metellus, Biology & Pan African Studies; Gzeonie Hampton, Political Science & English, minor in MEIS Social Change & Peace Studies; and Jalesia Johnson, Psychology. 

This year, instead of a swim suit competition, the contestants followed the theme, “Ladies of STEM.” The audience was introduced to Alex Canady, Patricia Bath, Jane Cooke Wright, Henrietta Lacks, and Mami Phipps Clark; all African American women scientists.

NSBE members worked tirelessly to plan and organize this annual signature event, following their mission: “Bridging the Gap.” 

Speed School seems so far away and that notion has prompted the feeling of seclusion on campus, explains Erica Gray, co-op advisor, Chemical and Electrical Engineering at the Speed School. “Bridging the Gap” began two years ago as a way to overcome that feeling of seclusion and to foster an initiative to do more “on the other side of campus.”  

This year’s judges were Dr. Tamara Adams, assistant professor, director of Undergraduate Studies, Yolanda Demaree, A&S Dean’s Staff, Aaliyah Davis, Industrial Engineering student, Willis Lee, Speed School graduate student, Jamal McFarland, Mechanical Engineering alumni.

A recipient of the Woodford R. Porter and Brown Fellows scholarships, Shontee graduated last year from UofL in the top 1 percent of her class with a bachelor of mechanical engineering degree. This year, she will receive her master’s degree. The 2012 duPont Manual grad has served on numerous student organizations, including the UofL chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, Speed School’s Women in Engineering Leadership Conference and the Miss Black UofL Scholarship Pageant. As a Brown Fellows scholar, she created a summer camp for minority girls to help get them involved in STEM fields.

“My education and academics in general are very important to me, and that’s one thing I’ve always been very driven about. As far as activities and organizations I’m involved with, academics is important there too because I like to see other people succeed academically. So I try to tailor my extracurriculars and things I’m involved with to helping other people succeed.”

In her free time, Shontee volunteers at the West End School as a tutor and mentor and grades calculus homework for professors in the Engineering Fundamentals department. She has received numerous recognitions for her outstanding work, including the ASME Pi Tau Sigma Award, the NBSC Louisville Chapter Award, the KSPE Service Award and Speed School’s Alfred T. Chen Award.

Conrad Smart, a 2013 graduate of Woodford County High School, is graduating with his bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics, anticipating a perfect 4.0 GPA. During his undergrad, he participated in various research projects with applications including nanomaterials, plasma physics and particle accelerators. His work has taken him to the laboratories of UCLA and Cornell University as an undergraduate research assistant.

“The University Physics and Astronomy department has been pivotal in my development as a scientist. In the mentorships, the opportunities, the community as a whole, I have watched students, including myself, become independent and creative thinkers. My peers and my faculty in the department have constantly provided me new and interesting stimulation necessary to bring a young student into the scientific fields.”

Smart is a recipient of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, James Graham Brown Scholarship and the Dean’s Scholarship, and has participated twice in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduate Programs. When he’s not trying to unravel the universe’s secrets, Smart enjoys playing saxophone, ballroom dancing and hiking.

Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 13 at the KFC Yum! Center beginning at 10 a.m.

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.