Derrick Walton
Practicum/Staff Writer
Kendra Lewis, a junior entrepreneurship major from Clinton, Miss., has selected to represent the state of Mississippi as Miss Phi Beta Sigma.
Lewis, who currently holds the position of Miss Phi Beta Sigma for the Alpha Beta Chapter at Jackson State University, won the state title on March 27 at the pageant held in Meridian, Miss.
She first competed in the Miss Phi Beta Sigma pageant for the Alpha Beta chapter in fall 2013 and won 2013-2014 Miss Blue.
She stated that serving as Miss Blue gave her the inspiration to compete again in the Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageant.
“After winning Miss Blue, I was inspired to do the Miss Phi Beta Sigma again to rejoin the court because as Miss Blue, I honestly fell in love with the fraternity. I got a chance to get to know them first hand, as well as some of the members of the fraternity first hand, and I was just determined to do another pageant because I am a pageant girl,” said Lewis. “I was not going to do any other pageant. I enjoyed my reign as Miss Blue, but I wasn’t satisfied. The year went by so fast and I felt like there was so much work to be done.”
In fall 2014, she won the title of Miss Phi Beta Sigma.
Lewis is no stranger to pageants.
“I have competed in other pageants for the state of Mississippi. I haven’t done any for the country, but I did compete in the Miss Mississippi Pageant by way of the Miss America organization.”
She added, “I was the first African-American to be crowned Miss Clinton in 2013, and that gave me the opportunity to try for the position of Miss Mississippi.”
Kendra currently serves as the captain of the JSU track and field team as well as the president of the student advisory board in the College of Business and has made many contributions outside of campus.
“Currently, I’m the president and cofounder of an organization entitled SWAC Nation. SWAC Nation is an outsource organization not through JSU. However, it is focused on SWAC schools and of course, with me being at JSU that is the school that I pretty much focused on.
She stated that the mission of SWAC Nation is to increase campus and community involvement.
Lewis says that she was inspired by one of the greatest entertainment moguls of all time.
“The person that inspired me the most, other than my mom, is Oprah Winfrey,” said Lewis. “I consider Oprah to be one of my intangible mentors. I look up to her and admire her most because she revolutionized the way African-American women were viewed in the American society in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and independence.”
Her future goals are to attend graduate school, become a legislator for the state of Mississippi as a democrat and to open several businesses throughout the state of Mississippi geared towards social and economic development.
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