State-Journal.com - Students elect first white Miss KSU

Photo By State Journal/Hilly SchifferElisabeth Martin, 21, of Shelbyville, became the first white Miss Kentucky State University.

People were skeptical that Elisabeth Martin could win the title of Miss Kentucky State University. Even her mother thought she was a long shot.

After all, Martin is a white student at an historically black university.

But this week, Martin became the 80th Miss KSU – and the first white student to take the crown.

“They thought there was never a chance for me to win,” she said Wednesday.

“I’ve had professors and teachers saying ‘You’re the best candidate, but we don’t think you’re going to win because this is an HBCU (historically black college or university).

“I knew that could be a factor, but I didn’t believe that was true,” she said. “I had enough faith in my student body to select the best candidate.”

The 21-year-old Shelbyville native, an English education major, won the election that decides the crown by a landslide. She received 314 votes, over 100 more than her closest competitor.

The vote totals for the three other candidates combined were just 326.

“It’s just amazing to have the support of my fellow Thorobreds,” she said. “I prayed that if I was going to win, that it wouldn’t be by a small margin.”

The key was reaching out to all kinds of students, she said. Her campaign included 75 volunteers of different races, genders and life circumstances. She hung posters in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Korean and Arabic.

The candidates are required to attend a debate, a parade and the pageant itself. They campaign non-stop for the week leading up to the vote, hanging posters at midnight on the first day it’s allowed.

Runner up Keisha Minley had the most success in the April 19 pageant, but it’s the student vote that determines the winner.

As Miss KSU, Martin will serve as an ambassador for the university, at campus and community events. She will speak at student orientations, and for local schools and community groups.

But the decision hasn’t been without controversy.

Martin has already experienced some negativity on campus, and gossip online on Facebook, she said. Some people have made comments that she can’t relate to the experience of African American women.

Later this year, she will participate in the Miss HBCU pageant, among dozens of African American university queens. Her picture will appear in Ebony and Jet magazines.

“My viewpoint is, I am a woman, and I know what women go through,” she said.

“I may not have the background for all of that, but I’m more than willing to learn. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m more than willing to listen, to hear the stories. I want to be someone who cares.”

When asked what she would do if someone made negative comments to her on campus, she said she would just “love ‘em.”

“First and foremost I’m a Christian, and when I see someone who doesn’t understand or is just not open to that at first, I feel like I just need to love them like Jesus,” she said.

“I really believe in loving someone whether they like me, love me or care for or support me.”

As she walked across campus Wednesday, scores of students shouted congratulations, or gave her hugs.

“People have got to realize, the alumni as well as anyone is who questioning our decision, she wasn’t appointed by the administration, she was voted in,” said Ron Banks, adviser for Mr. and Miss KSU.

Banks said Monday’s election had the largest turnout in the last 10 years. Last year, 505 voted while 646 turned out this year at the 2,600-student university. Polls were open for 11 hours, and students had to show identification to cast a vote.

Students also voted on a Mr. KSU, a new Student Government Association president, two vice presidents, secretary, treasurer and chief justice. The new student leaders will take over at the end of the school year.

Banks said Martin will help tie the KSU community to the rest of Frankfort; she’s been building relationships on campus for four years, he said.

That’s one of her big goals too, along with increasing diversity on campus and promoting the cause of HBCUs.

“It’s exciting, because one of my biggest emphasis is that I feel like K-State has been disconnected from Frankfort and Kentucky,” she said. “Kentucky doesn’t look at K-State as a wonderful, diverse school. ... I really want to bring the community together.”

Martin works as an international student leader for the Baptist Campus Ministry. She is a student ambassador, founding member of the environmentally-friendly Green Society at KSU and a tutor to fellow students.

The international studies minor has also taught English in Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, and she hopes to get a master’s in international relations or communications.

“They have to realize that she qualifies,” Banks said of detractors “She’s the best candidate, and that was who I wanted to win. She’s pure green and gold.”

Banks said he’s had alumni ask him his opinion about having a white woman represent an historically black university. Just because the school is historically black, doesn’t mean it hasn’t progressed.

Africans Americans make up 60 percent of the student body.

“I’m the kind that would correct them very quick,” he said, laughing. “I deal with human beings. I don’t deal with colors, and I don’t deal with what titles you have.”

But Martin said the alumni she’s encountered have been “so supportive.” KSU alums from Tennessee and around the state have contacted her, and she said they hope to work together on homecoming activities.

Martin and Mr. KSU Sean Nichols will be crowned Oct. 16 in a coronation ceremony at the Frankfort Convention Center. They will also appear at halftime of the homecoming football game Oct. 17.

“I wouldn’t go to any other school,” she said. “It’s the most diverse school in the state of Kentucky, and I’m very proud to come here, and now I’m very honored to be Miss KSU. I’m just like, ‘Woah.’”

67.	Posted by Omar May 20, 2009
	hothead1 Umm... you would call it whatever you want to what would you call West Virginia State University, what you are talking about actually happened there. Also, many people still use black more frequently than African American and some (very few) still use negro you can check what the N in UNCF means. "please be aware that not all people here in the US with a skin color of dark brown are able to trace their heritage back to Africa, yet just because of their skin color they are categorized that way." I know this and this is because people make pressumptions about other people and no I'm not one to do so. I literally live in a neighborhood where people are from all over the world, should my Bengali neighbors not consider themselves Bengali, they should be able to do so if they want to. You and smartgirl seem to think that everyone must look at everything the same way which is nonsense. You would put Obama in both the very same place he puts himself. "Assigning people to country of citizenship is all we need." Africa and Europe aren't countries and nobody's is assigning labels to other people, people decide how they want to view themselves. "It is however a constant reminder of racism" No being mistreated by people is a reminder of racism not having a different identity. "I also have to wonder, when will African-American become politically incorrect" Well, you avoid this issue by getting to know people and how they think because apparently to some it already is.

65.	Posted by hothead1 May 20, 2009
	Okay, take it further, if the majority of students at KSU eventually turns out to be non-African-American, should we remove HBCU? If the majority in an African-American choir is non-African-American, should we remove the label? According to your logic we would have to but yet shouldn't because of the historical value. If you are grasping now for ethnic labels, please be aware that not all people here in the US with a skin color of dark brown are able to trace their heritage back to Africa, yet just because of their skin color they are categorized that way. Furthermore, if we assign ethnic labels now, then lets put away with the race labels but let people simply check the country or continent of ancestral heritage. Wonder, where would be put Obama? Europe or Africa? Where would I fit into. I can claim part native American, part African, mostly European... I guess I'd have to go with the major part? Assigning people to country of citizenship is all we need. If you want to eat ethnic African food and there is a restaurant offering that, great! If there is an African pub offering African beer, great! I agree with smartgirl, you are grasping for straws to defend a label you probably proudly wear. It is however a constant reminder of racism and will make it ever so much harder to overcome the racial issues and achieve equality. I also have to wonder, when will African-American become politically incorrect because somebody decides it carries a stigma, just like negro and black were put away with as racist? smartgirl seems to think it stigmatizes. It's only a matter of time before we'll have to get used to yet another politically correct term.

62.	Posted by hothead1 May 20, 2009
	I can see where smartgirl is coming from. If we continue to distinguish ourselves by racial labels, racism is essentially promoted in everyday life and there is no chance of it going away anytime soon. I can also see where Omar is coming from. The racial label proudly worn as a tribute to history and still needed to teach the lesson of racism in order to overcome racism eventually. However, I have to agree with smartgirl. Omar's way is still a way of excluding people. If there is lets say an African-American choir, a Caucasian would not fit in. Then the name wouldn't be right anymore. It's exclusion. It's saying this is only for African-Americans. Yet if there would be a Caucasian choir formed, I'm sure the rights groups would be on that immediately making sure the name would be changed because it's racist and by name excludes other races. So what makes racism right for one group and not for the other? Teaching history? Somehow that doesn't fly. If we want to overcome the racial divide there needs to be the same rights for all groups. If you want to have labels, then the right to use the label should be equal among all. There shouldn't be applause for one and fierce criticism for the other. Only then you can talk about being tolerant while using labels.