Miss UAFS History

Since joining the Miss America System and awarding scholarships in 1978, the Miss UAFS Scholarship Competition – formerly the Miss Westark Pageant – has seen more than 500 students compete for thousands of dollars in awards. Competition contestants, whether they took the crown or not, have led outstanding careers in business, education, law, media, and government service.

The first winner, April Clayton, was crowned on April 1, 1978, and went on to become Miss Oklahoma. Another Miss Oklahoma, Shawntel Smith, became Miss America in 1996 after competing twice for Miss Westark and earning a national Outstanding Community College Alumni Award based on a nomination from UAFS. Julie Russell, our pageant winner in 1985, became Miss Arkansas in 1986.

The Miss UAFS Scholarship Competition will crown its 43rd winner in March 2022. The winner will move on to compete in the Miss Arkansas Competition in Little Rock, and that winner will go on to Miss America.

Students interested in competing for the Miss UAFS crown should contact the Box Office at 479-788-7667 for entry and eligibility requirements.