The new Miss University of Alabama at Birmingham is senior Lacey Johnson.
Nine students competed for the title in the Miss UAB Scholarship Competition on Nov. 12, in UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. The competition, presented by Student Involvement and Leadership, is an official preliminary to the Miss Alabama and Miss America competitions.
Johnson, 23, whose community service initiative was Royal Family Kids Camp and talent was dance, also won the Blazer Spirit Council’s Spirit Award and won $2,400 in scholarships. The new Miss UAB is an English major with a concentration in literature. She is in Kappa Delta sorority and is captain of the UAB Blazerettes. Johnson has an associate degree in dance performance from Wallace State Community College with certificates in general studies and choreography. She is the daughter of Pam and Gary Johnson of Cullman, Alabama.
Miss UAB 2024 will receive a gift certificate from Southern Exposure Photography, free workout classes from True40 Fitness Studio, free cuts and coloring from Morgan Ashley Salon, and a gift certificate from Glitz & Gowns. Little Brown Photography sponsored the candidate headshots and photography for the competition.
Sophomore Ashlyn Hill, 19, of Birmingham, Alabama, was named first runner-up and won the Talent Award sponsored by Miss UAB 2000 Kelly Belcher, winning $1,400 in scholarships. Hill is majoring in biomedical sciences and is in the Honors College. She is the social events chair of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and a UAB Ambassador. Her community service initiative is “Beyond the Plate: Effects of Community Action Against Hunger,” and she gave a monologue as her talent. Her parents are Monica Simpson and Bobby Hill.
Miss UAB, Lacey JohnsonJunior Priscilla Moyana, 20, of Leeds, Alabama, was named second runner-up, winning an $800 scholarship. Majoring in mathematics with minors in chemistry and computer science, Moyana is in the Honors College’s Personalized Path. She is a UAB Ambassador, in the Fast Track Master’s in Mathematics Program, in the Early Medical School Acceptance Program, on the Dean’s and President’s lists, and vice president of Society of Industrial and Applied Math. Her community service initiative is “Diversify: Empowering Young Girls in STEM,” and her talent was a chemistry demonstration. Her parents are Aaron and Anna Moyana.
Sophomore Reese Lowery, 20, of McCalla, Alabama, was named third runner-up and Miss Congeniality, winning $600 in scholarships. Lowery is studying pre-nursing. A UAB softball player in her freshman and sophomore years, she received a national collegiate honors scholarship for academics at UAB. She has been accepted into UAB’s School of Nursing for spring 2024. An advocate for athletic mental health awareness, her community service initiative was “Mental Health in Athletes Matters Too.” Her talent was singing while playing guitar. Her parents are Jason and Memory Lowery.
Kallie Hester of Auburn, Alabama, was named fourth runner-up, winning a $500 scholarship. She is earning a clinical doctorate in occupational therapy. Hester is in the UAB Chapter of the Student Occupational Therapy Association and received the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Scholarship. Her community service initiative was “Advocating for Trauma-Informed Care in Higher Education,” and she sang for her talent. She is the daughter of Kala Warren.
Sophomore Teagan Thornton of Greenhill, Alabama, won the Social Change Award and a $500 scholarship. She is majoring in neuroscience and minoring in chemistry and psychology. Thornton is in Sigma Kappa and the Student Organ Donation Association. Her community service initiative was “Conquering Chiari with Every Step,” and her talent was singing. She is the daughter of Felicia Hutcheson.