The time has come to crown the new Miss University of North Alabama. On Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in Norton Auditorium, thirteen contestants will compete for the scholarship, prestige and chance to compete for the Miss Alabama crown.
While UNA can be grateful for the current Miss UNA Madeline Cooper’s service, the pageant competitors are ready for the exciting weekend that is to come. Even more so now that Miss Alabama Abbie Stockard, an Auburn University nursing student, was just crowned Miss America. The future of pageants seems promising to Alabama women.
Meet your 2025 Miss UNA contestants:
Caroline Johnson is dedicated to raising awareness about celiac disease.
Since her diagnosis, which requires her to follow a strict gluten-free diet, she has made it her goal to spread information on the subject. One of her main focuses is highlighting how gluten-free foods are often more expensive.
Johnson is a former Girl Scout, where she learned the art of archery, a skill she will showcase on the Miss UNA stage. At the age of three, she participated in her first and only pageant competition so far. To prepare for the pageant, she practices archery daily and engages in speech training. She has fallen in love with the UNA campus, which is one of the reasons she has decided to compete for the crown.
She said, “I would love to be able to work with the local community to offer gluten-free food items in food pantries for those in need, and winning Miss UNA 2025 would definitely aid me in doing so.”
Next up, Caroline Rose Coleman is an advocate for the arts and character.
She is a member of UNA’s dance team and “The Roar” ambassador. She also carries extensive experience with community theater and classical opera. When she was 15 years old, she won a preliminary for the Miss America Teen program, which taught her that pageants “provide a space for young women to improve their public speaking, develop their talents and ultimately find ways to serve their community.”
Coleman is preparing by taking care of herself spiritually, physically and emotionally, which she mentioned UNA dance team coach Lesley is a great tool for. Her community service initiative is “Character Counts: Becoming the Best Version of You!” The contestant goes to classrooms to read and speak to children about the power of character qualities such as kindness, respect, empathy and gratitude.
She said, “I want to sincerely listen to the campus and community as to how I can use my time, talents, and love for this university to serve and give back.”
Savannah Young is ready for a new challenge.
Young has previously participated in one pageant, the National Miss American Pageant in May of 2024, where she finished as the fourth runner-up. She decided to compete for Miss UNA because she saw it as an amazing opportunity to meet girls from different backgrounds and try something new.
To prepare, she is focusing on physical fitness, mental clarity and self-confidence. Additionally, she is refining her public speaking and presentation skills, staying informed about current events and enhancing her personal style. She is committed to embracing a positive mindset.
Young said, “If I won Miss UNA, I would be very grateful to be able to share my initiative in helping people around the community. I don’t expect anything, [except] I know I have the opportunity to share my life, goals, experiences, and get involved with the schools, the people, and the students. I want to help UNA become [an] even better place than it already is and give others a reason to make this their home.”
Chloe Lee Jones is focused on being “the most approachable title holder that our university has ever had.”
Jones is a UNA-loving person who is involved in many of the university’s organizations, including the Phi Mu sorority, the University Program Council and the Baptist Campus Ministry. She does not have pageant experience but has danced for years. Her initiative is called “Be Kind to Little Minds,” where she teaches adults how to deal with mental health subjects in children.
She said, “I feel as though allowing yourself to be vulnerable on stage, whether in a pageant or at a dance competition, creates similar emotions. My love for the university and the people that attend it is truly what pushed me to enter the competition. I feel as though my impact can be a positive one, and I am excited for the potential opportunity to represent our student body in this manner.”
Millie-Claire Woodard is touched by service.
Woodard is a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in theatre and history. Her interest in pageants began when she was a young girl, as she always loved getting dressed up and performing. She is committed to pursuing a master’s degree in history at UNA, and the scholarship opportunity from the pageant would help make that dream a reality.
She is preparing weekly by rehearsing her talent and staying informed through the news. Her service initiative is important to her. She said, “Service to others touches my heart and nourishes my spirit.” The contestant’s service initiative is called “Kindness Counts,” where she focuses on inspiring young people to spread kindness and volunteerism.
Woodard said, “If I were to win Miss UNA, I expect to have the best year of my life serving my university and this community. I would work with campus and city leaders to establish a community day of kindness and volunteerism. I want to visit as many schools as possible to share my Kindness Counts mission and promote UNA.”
Samantha Norton is back to stay.
Norton is an Alpha Delta Pi member who had planned to compete at the Miss UNA 2024, but she had her “nerves g[e]t the best of her” a week prior to the competition. She is preparing by eating healthy, practicing her talent, going on walks and getting deep into prayer.
Her service project is called “A Little Love Goes a Long Way,” where she advocates for dwarfism awareness and “how disabilities don’t have to define how a person is treated or affect how well they can do a task.” This initiative is particularly important to her because of her high school golf coach’s son who has dwarfism.
She said, “If I am to win the thing, I expect it to show little girls who look like me that you don’t have to be the norm for beauty standards to be a pageant girl and that we are all beautiful in our own way.”
Krimsyn Jones advocates for diversity.
Jones has participated in pageant competitions since she was a toddler; however, it was in her sophomore year of high school she fell in love with them. She is particularly interested in the Miss UNA competition because she is a Muscle Shoals native, and she saw the opportunity of representing the campus community in “an impactful way.”
Jones is preparing with rehearsals lasting 15 hours a week, where she practices her talent, walk and interview answers. She claims her “deep appreciation for diverse cultures” is what brings up her uniqueness, which ties to her goal to foster an inclusive campus atmosphere.
She says, “I want to create opportunities for open dialogue and cultural exchange while also working to make the campus environment more inclusive and welcoming. As Miss UNA, I would strive to be an accessible and compassionate leader, actively supporting student initiatives and engaging in volunteer work.”
Kiya Williams wants to change UNA for the better.
Williams is competing in her first-ever pageant, which brought her to “everything under the sun” to prepare. She has been looking up “random” interview questions on the internet, practicing her talent, and seeking advice from mentors. She decided to compete for Miss UNA through conversations she had with other contestants.
She claims her “overall attitude and opinions on life” is what makes her stand out. “I don’t believe UNA is perfect and I see a lot of faults in it, but I do think that together we can make a change,” said Williams. “I also don’t fit the typical pageant mold; I have plenty of tattoos and piercings and I don’t plan to stop.”
Williams has three goals with the Miss UNA title: to enhance student advocates across campus, to host workshops that educate people on mental wellness, to look within UNA as a community and to try to strengthen weak points.
Alex Rhoades wants to portray her true self in this pageant.
The Student Government Association senator is competing for the Miss UNA crown for the second year in a row. The 2024 experience taught her the competition is about fostering community, showing your true self and gaining valuable skills. She claims one does not need to be perfect because all are “undeniably unique.”
Rhoades says God and her support system are what give her the courage to compete. She claims to not have expectations and will be proud of herself no matter the outcome.
“If I have the opportunity to become the next Miss UNA, I will not take it for granted,” said Rhoades. “I believe that having this title will propel the set of skills that I have, in order to do positive work for this university and community.”
Other contestants are Heidi Armstrong, Maddie McKenney, Traci Pettus and Madison Pugh.
