March 25, 2007 — Sharifa Maloney was crowned Miss University of the Virgin Islands at the Reichhold Center for the Arts Saturday to a standing ovation by about 300 audience members.
Maloney, a sophomore business student at the university, also won competitions for best evening wear, best performing talent, most eloquent speaker and best ambassadorial presentation.
The audience first responded to her in the question-and-answer segment. The mistress of ceremonies, Amarae Blyden-Richards, a UVI student, asked what two priority items she would share with Gov. John deJongh if she had the opportunity to speak with him. Maloney mentioned the crime situation in the Virgin Islands and the school curriculum.
"I would talk about the need for a change in the school curriculum, including a need for technical and vocational schools," Maloney said.
For her talent presentation, Maloney offered a tribute to her late grandmother, who is from Trinidad, with a calypso song with aphorisms for lyrics. “What goes around, comes back around,” she sang.
Making her ambassadorial presentation as a university recruiter, Maloney spoke of the university’s low costs and smaller class sizes compared to other historically black colleges and universities (HBCU).
With her victory, Maloney will serve as ambassador for the university, representing it in a string of events. They include the Black College Screen Competition’s Hall of Fame in October, where Maloney will compete against ambassadors from other HBCU across the nation.
Jahneisha John, a business-administration student from the St. Croix campus, was the first runner up. Zahra Spencer, also a business-administration major, won both most popular and most congenial. Shamika Thomas, a biology major, won most photogenic. Both Spencer and Thomas are from the St. Thomas campus.
Thomas offered a Caribbean version of the popular television show "American Idol," changing costumes for different islands and enthralling the audience with her beautiful voice.
The evening was “an excellent showcase of talent and its high-caliber students,” said UVI President Laverne Ragster.
The competition was organized by the Student Government Association (SGA). “All the ladies have shown UVI talent, strength and beauty,” said SGA President Rick Grant.
Other students entertained the audience while the contestants prepared for their segments with a throng of songs, dances and a presentation of costumes for this year’s St. Thomas Carnival troupe.
An 18-year-old music-education major, Julio Petersen, mesmerized the crowd with his rendition of John Legend’s song "Heaven." He also serenaded the contestants before the announcements of winners.
“Watch out, John Legend, because Julio Petersen is right behind you,” said Master of Ceremonies Matthew Thomas, a student at UVI.
For more information about the Miss UVI pageant, visit the UVI website.
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