A sophomore from Sulphur was crowned Miss Old Gold and Black Wednesday at F.G. Bulber Auditorium. 

Kiersten Ceasar, an art education major, was awarded first place at Miss Old Gold and Black, a pageant sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 

Ceasar said the event was special and unforgettable for her.

“Being crowned Miss Old Gold and Black still feels so surreal,” Ceasar said. “I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity and for everyone who believed in me along the way. Holding this title means so much more than just a crown, it represents hard work, growth and grace.”

Alongside Ceasar, six other participants competed for the title: 

• Zoie Abraham, a junior from Jennings, studying elementary education;  
• Sydnee Guillory, a junior from Lake Charles, studying elementary education; 
• Knoelani Gobert, a sophomore from Natchez, Mississippi, studying computer engineering; 
• Oghenekarho Amurun, a junior from Delta, Nigeria, studying accounting;  
• Kynnedi Babineaux, a freshman from Lafayette, studying elementary education; and  
• Alicia Lopez Medina, a sophomore from Zacatecas, Mexico, studying accounting. 

The event included a dance performance by the contestants, introductions, a swimsuit/active wear segment, a music interlude by Omari Francis, treasurer of the Theta Theta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, a talent presentation, and an evening gown presentation with an interview segment. 

After all segments concluded, Guillory finished second and took home the Miss Old Gold title along with Miss Entrepreneurial and Miss Photogenic. Amurun received the Miss Black title in third place, while Abraham was voted Miss Congeniality by her fellow contestants. 

Dean of Student Support & Advocacy Meghan Olinger served as emcee of the event. The judges included Bralyn Simmons, the director of Student Activities at McNeese; Mya Wilson, the Student Services coordinator, and Student Government Association president Lianne Montelibano.  

“I think there are very few opportunities for women to show their academic achievements but also show off their beauty and femininity, and I think that is the pinnacle of the Miss Old Gold and Black Pageant,” Montelibano said. “It is a celebration of women who are not only beautiful but very accomplished.” 

According to Olinger, the first national Miss Old Gold and Black Pageant was held during Alpha Phi Alpha’s 1976 General Convention in New York City. The pageant was deferred following the first event and reinstated during the Fraternity’s 1982 General Convention in Los Angeles.

The Pageant offers a scholarship and consists of a collegiate-level and a district-level competition. The winners of the collegiate-level pageants move on to compete at the district level.