NCCU royal court candidates present themselves at pageant before election night

Two events highlighted this year’s Royal Court election: the Sept. 10 pageant and, after the votes were in, the Sept. 12 reception.

At the reception N.C. Central Royal Court winners were: freshman Nyquasia Brown, freshman Chidi Bowman, sophomore Kayla Crawford, junior Christopher Clodfelter, and senior Christian Allison.

The candidates running for N.C. Central University’s Royal Court presented themselves to students, faculty, staff, and judges Tuesday night at the Cirque Du Central fall pageant in B. N. Duke Auditorium.

The pageant opened with the male candidates wearing black tuxes, black hats, and long black canes. The group performed a series of choreographed dances to the hit song “Classic Man” by rapper Jidenna.

Allison competed against kinesiology senior Jonathan Smith to be crowned the next Mister NCCU.

“Overcome your obstacles to embrace a better you,” Allison said in his introduction, working off the platform of SIDELINE story inspired by the rapper J. Cole. Allison told the audience to get off the sidelines by overcoming their fears, knowing their story, and using that same story to help someone else.

Women candidates took the stage in black and white attire holding a black magic stick as they performed to a mash-up of songs from singer-songwriter Beyoncé.

Brown stood off the platform of S.H.I.N.E: success, hard-work, intelligence, notoriety and excellence.

“Success is what we aim to achieve, hard work is what it takes; intelligence is what we gain; notoriety is the legacy that we leave; and excellence is the new expectation,” Brown told the applauding crowd.

Students were asked to vote for open Royal Court positions and class senators, using the online portal NCCU Engage.

The poll was open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, two hours before the fall elections reception announced the new kings and queens.

Students, faculty and staff came dressed in white attire for the event.

Allison was crowned the 20^th Mister NCCU that night and Brown was crowned Miss Freshman for the 2019-2020 academic school year.

Class senators were also announced at the reception.

As members of NCCU’s Royal Court, the newly-elected class misters and misses will facilitate events on campus, engage in community service projects, professional development, and participate in the homecoming king and queen pageant.

The fall pageant was presented by NCCU Royal Court and the fall reception was hosted by NCCU Student Government Association.