McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
McNeese State University students Darice Johnson and D’Mari Babineaux, and local high school student, Maddy Claire Thomas, are the current McNeese Titleholders. They serve as official student ambassadors for the university and represent McNeese at campus and community events throughout the year.
Johnson, an agricultural sciences major from Iowa, is Miss McNeese LeBelle Volunteer. She says holding this title has helped her discover that she can handle more than she thought.
Babineaux, a kinesiology major from Carencro, is Mr. McNeese LeBeau and says that being a titleholder is an opportunity to give back to the university that has given him so much.
“I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about recognition. It’s about consistency, humility and service,” Babineaux said. “I’ve become more confident in my ability to communicate, lead diverse groups and represent something bigger than myself.”
Thomas, a high schooler from Reeves, is Miss McNeese LeBelle Teen Volunteer. She says being a titleholder has pushed her outside of her comfort zone.
“I’ve learned that I am stronger and more confident than I ever imagined,” Thomas said. “I am proud to be an ambassador for a university that invests so much in its students and community.
McNeese Titleholders receive a scholarship and the program provides leadership development, public speaking experience, networking opportunities, community engagement and professional development.
Babineaux said. “I wanted to use my platform to inspire students, promote campus involvement and show others that leadership comes through service.”
These students attend events on campus such as Cowboy Camp, Krewe De Rowdy Mardi Gras celebrations, the Southland Conference tournaments and Spring Fling.
“Being able to talk to incoming freshmen at Cowboy Camp has been extremely helpful,” Johnson explained. “One question I get often is do you always have to be dressed up and be perfect, and my answer is always NO. This title isn’t about being perfect and about our looks. This title is deeper. We are here to grow, to encourage and to become someone better than we were yesterday.”
McNeese is the first university to be affiliated with the Miss Louisiana Volunteer program, and Johnson and Thomas will participate in their pageants at the end of July in Minden. Miss Louisiana Volunteer is a scholarship-based program designed to uplift, equip and celebrate young women through service, style and leadership. They have already begun to meet the other young women in the program and are encouraged by the friendships and connections they’ve made.
Babineaux originally came to McNeese as a track athlete and found a welcoming campus and supportive faculty. Johnson said she grew up attending McNeese football and basketball games with her family and knew most of her professors through 4-H before she even registered for classes. Thomas will be a dual-enrollment student at McNeese in the fall.
For students considering becoming McNeese Titleholders, Babineaux, Johnson and Thomas all say that it has challenged them and made them grow and that they’ve had fun, too.
“If you’re passionate about McNeese and want to make a positive impact, it’s an experience you won’t regret,” Thomas said.
For more information about McNeese Titleholders, or to request their appearance at an event, contact them at titleholders@mcneese.edu.
