On Friday, Jan. 26, the Campus Activities Board held the 64th annual Miss Southeastern Louisiana University Scholarship Competition at the Columbia Theatre. Senior strategic communication major Shelby Bordelon won the competition, succeeding Miss Southeastern 2023 Kobi Painting.
“It was the happiest moment of my entire life,” Bordelon said after Painting crowned her Miss Southeastern 2024.
Alongside Bordelon, seven other delegates competed for the title, including:
- Sophomore music education major Miranda Sensat
- Junior business management major Kyndall Smith
- Junior creative writing major Anna Toups
- Senior general studies major Sara Cavalier
- Junior information technology major Amber Kirk
- Freshman nursing major Caitlin McLin
- Sophomore finance major Madison Hogan
Office for Student Engagement director Marjorie Parker led the night’s proceedings, announcing each portion of the competition and the various awards.
Each portion was worth a percentage of their overall scores. Judges plucked from the local community graded each delegate based on their performance in four areas: private interview (35%), in-person interview (15%), talent (35%) and evening gown (15%).
In addition to the crown, Bordelon won the People’s Choice Award for receiving the most likes on her photo on CAB’s Facebook. Her musical theatre performance garnered her the Talent Award and her sequined white dress landed her the Evening Gown Award.
Sensat won First-Runner Up and Miss Congeniality, Smith won Second-Runner Up and the Academics Award and Hogan won the Miss Southeastern Legacy Scholarship Award.
Former Miss Southeastern winners and title holders from across the state, including Miss Louisiana 2023 Mackenzie Scroggs, attended the competition and spoke to the audience.
The night’s proceedings doubly served as Painting’s farewell; before the award announcements, CAB played a slideshow composed of pictures from Painting’s year as Miss Southeastern. Painting spoke over the slideshow, thanking her family, friends and SLU for their love and support.
“I’ve loved every second of this year. It has been a dream for three years and it finally came true in 2023. Having the opportunity to represent SLU has been one of my biggest goals and I achieved it. I’m so grateful for everyone who has gotten me here and I can’t wait for the next chapter,” she said after the competition.
Painting spoke highly of Bordelon as well, saying the new Miss Southeastern will make a great university representative.
“I’m so excited for Shelby. She has a beautiful heart and I know she’s going to take on this role head first,” Painting expressed.
Bordelon said she’s looking forward to representing SLU at the Miss Louisiana competition in June and helping students develop healthy social media habits via her community service initiative, Shelby’s Social Canvas: Brushing Life’s Colors in Every Post.
