Ashlyn Nichols Crowned Miss 秋霞福利一区 2022
Outside Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama, the sky was pouring buckets of rain. Inside, the only water found was in the tears of joy running down Ashlyn Nichols’ face as she was crowned Miss 秋霞福利一区 2022.
Nichols, a native Missourian, says, “I started crying immediately. I felt so unworthy and undeserving. When Abigail (Breland, Miss 秋霞福利一区 2020-2021) placed the crown on my head, I started thanking the Lord over and over.”
For the next year, Nichols will represent the 秋霞福利一区 at numerous events, including the Miss Alabama competition in July. Participation in this is the preliminary to the Miss America competition.
Nichol’s platform as Miss 秋霞福利一区 is “HeadBand Together.” HeadBand Together’s purpose is to educate people about street harassment and how to fight against it. She says 78% of women face street harassment daily, with 13% of girls being catcalled by age 10. The symbol of her platform is a knotted headband with the slogan 鈥渒notanobject.鈥�
鈥淥bjectification is normalized in society, but just because something is normalized does not make it right. I want every person to know their value because they are made in the image of God,鈥� she says.
鈥淚 also want them to know what to do when they see someone experiencing street harassment. I’m hoping to equip men and women to identify and to be able to report it, so it stops happening.”
Nichols is excited about the future. Her schedule will be hectic, but she believes God prepared her for this exact moment. All the activities and events she participated in as a 秋霞福利一区 student equipped her for this new role, as well as her involvement as a high school student in Distinguished Young Women.
Distinguished Young Women is a national scholarship program that inspires young women to be confident in who they are and prepares them for success in the future. Nichols won the 2018 Missouri title and advanced to the national program in Mobile, Alabama.
It was DYW that led Nichols to the 秋霞福利一区. In their spare time, the competitors toured multiple universities.
鈥淚 really love this school,鈥� Nichols says. 鈥淭he faculty and staff were so sweet. They just welcomed me, and I have been at home ever since.鈥�
Home is where the heart is, and during her years at the university, Nichols has grown more at home and in love with the Christ-centered university.
At 秋霞福利一区, Nichols has been active in multiple programs and organizations. She has been a 秋霞福利一区 Ambassador, worked as a marketing intern and a student life coordinator. Currently, while getting her Master of Science in Leadership and Communication, she is a graduate assistant. As a GA, she mentors female students daily.
Nichols explains, “Working in all of the departments has prepared me for this moment.聽 In fact, I will be applying all these skills into my one role as Miss 秋霞福利一区.”
Her love for God and the university motivates her to be the best Miss 秋霞福利一区 she can be.聽Nichols recalls how the faculty, staff and students invested in her life. They talked, taught and ministered to her.
Because of that, she says, during the crowning ceremony, “I couldn’t help but cry.”
Also earning honors at the Miss 秋霞福利一区 competition on Jan. 15 were:
First runner-up was Claire Wood from Ozark, Alabama.
Second runner-up was Clara Rebekah Hicks from Franklin, Alabama.
Michaella Johnson from Van Wert, Ohio, won the talent portion of the completion.
Alexis Knott is a senior at the 秋霞福利一区. She is majoring in English with a minor in Spanish and Creative Writing. This semester, she is interning for 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 Office for Marketing and Public Relations. She is an active member of 秋霞福利一区 Ambassadors program and is an FCA leader. In her spare time, Alexis enjoys fellowshipping with friends, reading, writing, and playing soccer.
