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St.Kitts Beauty and Miss UVI 2016-2017, Che-Raina Warner, will compete in the 2016 National Black College Alumni (NBCA) Hall of Fame Queens pageant from Sept. 21 to Sept. 25, in Atlanta, Ga., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Warner will compete against other college queens from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) around the nation for the title of Miss NBCA Hall of Fame.

Sponsored by the University of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Warner will travel to Atlanta with her advisor, Leon Lafond, director of Student Activities, and her co-advisor, Ashikisha Maduro, graduate assistant of Student Activities.

“It is a distinct honor to serve as a goodwill ambassador for my University,” said Warner. “I am excited to have the opportunity to represent UVI on the international scene. It is my intention to showcase my talent and abilities as best I can in order to bring to light not only my skills but those of my fellow UVI students.” She continued, “I will represent the Buccaneers to the best of my ability, thus making UVI and the Virgin Islands proud.”

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 will be 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. For more information contact UVI Student Activities Director Leon Lafond at (340) 693-1111 or llafond@uvi.edu.