Three young ladies who all hope to make a positive contribution to humanity and to improve the lives of others were selected as the final three in the 2024 Miss UWI (Mona) pageant on Sunday.

Held at the Assembly Hall on the grounds of The University of the West Indies, the pageant saw 22-year-old Samantha McLeod, Kyra Ali, and Crystal Whittaker finishing in first, second and third places, respectively.

Ten young ladies competed for the coveted crown. They include Cheynenne Gowie, Leah Jay Holness, Shanice Slack, Demicka Linton, Rebekca James, Naia Cuadra, and Natanya Watson.

Slack and Cuadra made the Top 5.

This is the first time that the pageant has been held since 2022.

“I feel beyond excited. This journey was so amazing and I am really proud of myself. This pageant has definitely empowered me and it also helped to improve my confidence and I am just elated for the experience,” McLeod disclosed in an interview with the Jamaica Observer post-pageant.

A dental student, who hopes to own her dental practice and to contribute significantly to the deaf community, McLeod, who resides at Irvine Hall, said she entered the pageant to build her confidence.

“I decided to step out of my comfort zone and mainly for growth development. And to see that I have accomplished that, I am very proud of myself,” said the former Immaculate Conception High student.

“The journey was a great learning opportunity, and I am so excited for the next step along the journey,” McLeod added.

She also copped the Beauty with a Purpose and Most Poised sectional prizes.

Kyra Ali, who is from Sangre Grande in east Trinidad and Muslim, said she was encouraged to enter the pageant by friends.

“I was actually motivated by a lot of close friends. They saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself, and I think that my results tonight really showed that I truly have the potential. The experience has been challenging, and it really taught me resilience. It’s about your intelligence, grace, and it requires a lot of you. It’s not about coming on stage and looking pretty,” said Ali.

She said the daily preparation paid off for her.

“It took me hours and hours to prepare for this journey and so many sleepless nights. It really was a lot to learn. This was my first pageant,” said the geo-science student who resides at the Leslie Robinson Hall.

Said Ali: “I am very passionate about climate change and I want to be someone that effectively contributes to our environment and to ensure that we preserve our planet and we protect it for future generations.”

A resident at the George Alleyne Hall, Whittaker said she entered to take on a new personal challenge.

“I wanted to enter because I was looking for a new challenge. I was looking for an opportunity to be a source of empowerment to the young ladies on my hall and the entire Mona campus,” Whittaker shared.

She continued: “The camaraderie was excellent and I gained nine new friends. The experience was nothing short of amazing.”

Whittaker, who is from Negril, Westmoreland, is a past student at Manning’s School. She studies psychology, philosophy and criminology and is the chairwoman at her hall of residence.

“I want to become a criminal psychologist to go into the prisons and speak to inmates and try to inspire them,” said Whittaker, who won the sectional prize for Community Involvement.

After their introduction, the girls appeared in swimwear and then evening wear. Later, they performed their talent pieces.

The Top 5 faced the interview segment before the winners were declared.

Other sectional prize winners included Shanice Slack (People’s Choice), Rebekca James (Best Performance), and Naia Cuadra (Most Congenial and Culturally Aware).