It takes esteemed class, passion, and grace to hold the title of Miss Hampton University. To be crowned is to not only represent the face of the university, but to be the voice inspiration for the entire student body. The title of Miss and Mister in any HBCU royal court is an honorable achievement that is always applauded and looked upon with much adoration.
This year, Hampton University had the pleasure of crowning Miss Hannah Niara Selders as the 66th Miss Hampton University for the 2023-2024 school year. There is far more to Hannah beyond the crown, as her journey towards this reign has been nothing short of influential. I had the pleasure of speaking with our very own Miss Hampton University about her experiences and what she hopes to bring forth throughout her new reign.
Hannah Selders is a fourth-year in the 5 year MBA program from Dallas, Texas, and has nothing but love and dedication to her Home By The Sea. Her time at Hampton has been filled with memories that will undoubtedly aid towards the legacy she will leave on campus. From a very young age, Hannah has always been in touch with her creative and artistic side. She found passions in not only artistry but music as well. For as long as she could remember, her family has been the biggest advocates for her creative expression.
“As far as my family, they have always been about nurturing our passions and dreams. One of my passions was always the arts. I’ve always been a creative person, and when I was fourteen my dad invested in a business for me called Esmira, and it’s basically a jewelry and accessory company because that’s one thing that I was really passionate about,” said Selders.
“I went to a creative arts highschool as well and that’s where I really discovered my passion for music, and I became classically trained in the violin,” she added.
Since being a student at Hampton University, she has been an avid leader within her community and that has ultimately fueled much of her successes as an undergraduate student. Her platform LEAD is an acronym that represents Loving, Encouraging, and Accepting Differences, where she promotes confidence and success, but most importantly mental, physical and emotional wellness for students at Hampton University and beyond.
Hannah not only hopes to be the voice of the student body, but she also strives to use her platform to allow students to express themselves in the most authentic ways possible. Her hope is to leave a lasting impact on Hampton campus by bringing authenticity and allowing her fellow students to feel as though they can confide in her for anything they might need.
“I want to be in a position where I can be the voice and advocate for my classmates, being able to wear and have the crown is not only being an example, but it’s being the person people can come to and tell me what they need, because I am a position where I can communicate those wants and needs of the student body to people like the President, so I want people to be comfortable and know I can and will help them,” she said.
The reason Hannah wanted to become Miss Hampton, is far deeper than just being the face of her University. She wanted to be the voice of reason and an advocate for the student body, but she also looked inward on her own struggles and identified ways she can use the knowledge of her experiences, to help others who may have been through the same things.
“As far as implementing my platform LEAD, when I first got to Hampton, I went to the student success center, where you go to get 504 plans for if you need extra testing or accommodations, because I have a learning difference; it’s a cognitive processing delay when it comes to testing, I get very bad anxiety.”
“So I went to the student success center and tried to get accommodations based off of the testing I had gotten prior, and that testing costs thousands of dollars, and I found out that I could not use those accommodations here at the university and they weren’t able to do anything for me,”
“That was one thing that really sparked me wanting to be Miss Hampton, because once that happened to me personally and I heard that other people need more time and access that as well, it inspired me to want to be able to provide for those students in need.”
“With LEAD, I am advocating for students on campus who have those disabilities or educational needs and accommodations but they can’t get them. So I am trying to work with the school to get them to fund testing for students who believe they need to get testing for 504 plans, while also ensuring that we are always prioritizing our mental health,” she explained
Hannah also explained how Hampton University has instilled her with the necessary skills needed to be in this leadership role. Within her 5 year major program, she takes courses essential to leadership and confidence building that has allowed to use it towards her reign.
“One of the required classes I take is leadership applications program, and in this class it’s all about confidence building, and understanding that in any fortune 500 company we walk into we feel like we have earned a seat at the table. And this class prepares you for answering questions and puts you in positions where you need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. And for Miss Hampton it is a huge role, but because Hampton has set up those classes within my major, I feel like it has definitely instilled in me the confidence I need for me to be successful,” she explained.
The role of Miss Hampton is nothing to take lightly and a huge role. So Hannah shared some words of advice for the next Miss Hampton. Her hope is that the next person who takes the reign will put their best foot forward with love and authenticity.
“Whoever the next Miss Hampton is, I just want them to walk into their own purpose. It’s easy to look at the past Miss Hamptons and feel like you need to fill their shoes, but it’s important that when you step into this role, you need to start your own legacy,” she said.
“Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons, and the reasons why you’re doing it is to help your student body rather than just to be the face of campus, because there’s so much more to it beyond the crown. Be down to earth, be authentic, and take full advantage of everything that comes your way,” she concluded.
Hannah hopes to continue to walk in her purpose throughout her reign, and truly leave a lasting legacy. Be on the lookout for Miss Hannah Selders and the exciting effective changes she will bring to our Home By The Sea.