Miss UVI Crowned Miss NBCA Hall of Fame 2016-17 In Atlanta

ST. THOMAS — Che-Raina Warner, the University of the Virgin Islands’s reigning queen, who recently competed in the 2016 National Black College Alumni (N.B.C.A.) Hall of Fame Queens pageant in Atlanta, Ga, returned home Monday afternoon with the crown, greeted by a U.V.I. delegation and the Department of Tourism, all eager to shower her with congratulatory remarks.

Ms. Warner — who won the High Hats and Heals Competition at N.B.C.A. Hall of Fame pageant and made it to the top five before being crowned queen — was the second  UVI queen to bring the crown home in three years. Miss UVI Elisa Thomas made history when she won the title of Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014, according to U.V.I.

“Once again, UVI has demonstrated that it is not just producing academically capable students. We are well-rounded individuals as well,” Ms. Warner said Monday afternoon. “Not everything went exactly according to plan. When we arrived in Atlanta, we discovered some challenges that we felt were impossible to overcome. But as the UVI Buck champions that we are, we overcame those challenges, and the competition as well.”

She added: “Pageantry is not just about beauty. It has great ambassadorial capabilities that will benefit the University at large.” Ms. Warner’s trip to participate in the competition was sponsored by U.V.I. and the Department of Tourism.

Ms. Warner, age 24, is from St. Kitts and attends UVI on the St. Thomas Campus. She is a junior majoring in communication. Her career aspiration is to become a professionally trained journalist, reporter and news anchor. Her platform is “The Beauty Myth,” has the acronym, D.R.E.A.M.S. (Developing a Realm of Educated Ambitious Motivated Sisters) which she plans to promote intensely throughout her tenure as Miss UVI. Warner’s hobbies and interests include reading, learning foreign languages and writing poetry.

This year, which marks the 31st year of the competition, all NBCA contestants were judged in the following four categories:

1) Presentation and image

2) Oratory – interview and question and answer

3) Poise and projection

4) Talent

The newly crowned Miss NBCA will serve as a national representative and advocate of HBCU’s, and will receive an academic scholarship and other prizes.

Che-Raina Warner expressed her gratitude to the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism for partnering with UVI to sponsor her quest to become Miss NBCA Hall of Fame Queen 2016-17. She also thanked everyone who has positively impacted her journey, including Leon Lafond, Ashikisha Maduro, the SGA Queen’s Committee, and Lisa Wynne-Magnuson of VI Etiquette.

“I do feel that Ms. Warner is prepared to represent the University to the best of her ability at this competition,” Lafond said. “She is a fast learner who possesses all the qualities of a queen.”

The NBCA queen’s competition is sponsored by the NBCA Hall of Fame organization, which is dedicated to the growth and development of HBCU’s through scholarships, internships, training and technical assistance, alumni recognition, and programs to encourage humanitarian involvement.

Feature Image: Welcome collage of Ms. Warner, courtesy UVI.