New Miss National UNCF Crowned

FAIRFAX, VA.  -UNCF(United Negro College Fund) has just announced the winner of its 53rd Annual Miss National UNCF competition, Shakeisha Chanel Colman, a junior majoring in biology at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, one of UNCF's 39 member institutions. Ms. Coleman was crowned Miss National UNCF at the annual joint conference of the UNCF National Alumni Council (NAC) and its subsidiary organization, the UNCF National Pre-Alumni Council (NPAC), which was held in Birmingham, AL February 2-6.

Each year, teams of students at UNCF member historically black colleges and universities compete by raising funds to help UNCF, its students and member institutions. The leader of the team that raises the highest amount is given the title of Miss National UNCF. This year, under Miss Coleman's leadership, students from Wiley College raised a total of $36,140 for UNCF.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Miss Coleman will receive a $3,000 scholarship. An active member of the Wiley College student body, her affiliations include serving as the President of Sigma Gama Rho Sorority, Incorporated, member of the Honda All-Star Trivia Challenge Team, member of the Pre-Alumni Council and the President and CEO of the Real Advocates of the Movement. Miss. Coleman aspires to attend medical school and pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology.

"I was honored to compete for the title of Miss National UNCF. UNCF helps thousands of students get a college education each year so they can be prepared to compete in the global economy," Miss. Coleman said after receiving her crown. "I believe that the more you serve, the more our communities and our nation will progress."

Shakeisha Chanel Coleman will serve as an official UNCF representative at national events, including UNCF An Evening of Stars®, the annual national television special. She will also attend regional UNCF events such as the Chicago Black & White Black Ball, the Atlanta Mayor's Masked Ball, the Maya Angelou "Women Who Lead" Luncheon in Charlotte, NC, and other events throughout the year.

Members of the National Pre-Alumni Council (NPAC) elected Sade Daniels, a senior at UNCF member institution Philander Smith College, as incoming president. She will be responsible for organizing NPAC conferences, developing fundraising strategies and helping to keep NPAC active on the campuses of UNCF's 39 member colleges and universities. David Miller, a graduate of UNCF member school Tougaloo College, is the NAC President and Rubye Taylor-Drake is the Immediate Past NAC President.


About UNCF

UNCF-the United Negro College Fund-is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."® Learn more at www.UNCF.org.


About NAC
The National Alumni Council was founded in 1946 by James E. Stamps, a Fisk University alumnus, two years after UNCF was incorporated, to establish a national alumni organization to serve the needs of private historically black colleges and universities in partnership with UNCF. All graduates of UNCF schools are automatically members of the National Alumni Council.

About NPAC
The National Alumni Council is the parent organization for the National Pre-Alumni Council (NPAC). NPAC is the umbrella organization for Pre-Alumni Councils on the campuses of UNCF member colleges and universities, and for other national student organizations that subscribe to the purpose of UNCF.