Alysia Cannon, a two-time LSUS graduate, will vie for the Miss Louisiana 2021 crown on June 19 at the Monroe Civic Center. Competing as Miss Spirit of the Red, Cannon’s journey through pageantry began after winning the 2018 LSUS Miss Black and Gold crown.
Looking for a new adventure on campus, Cannon took a leap of faith competing in the Miss Black and Gold pageant sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. She credits the crown as well as her being selected Homecoming Queen in 2020 for leading her to Miss Louisiana.
“LSUS helped get me to this point by providing opportunities to serve as a queen on campus,” Cannon said. “Media and PR staff such as the Director of Media and External Affairs, Wendell Riley, always requested my appearance at events, small or large. The exposure to speaking events and leadership I obtained at LSUS made my journey to Miss Louisiana possible.”
Cannon earned a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2020 and a Master of Biological Sciences in Public Health in 2021. With aspirations to earn a PhD and become a veterinary surgeon, she served as a member and leader in multiple student organizations including Minority Association of Pre-Health Professionals (MAPS), Phi Mu Fraternity, New Student Orientation, and the Pre-Vet Club. Her philanthropy as Miss Spirit of the Red focuses on the impact of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
“My social impact initiative is the amplification of STEAM to discover the King/Queen within,” Cannon said. “I introduce the nine types of intelligence and the ways others can discover their personal gifts to thrive. Knowing your type of intelligence and the gift you hold helps to determine your best career path, effective ways to study, how to cope with your emotions, and much more! My goal is to continue sharing tools to help individuals discover personal types of intelligence and gifts to promote everyone to love who they see in the mirror.”
Miss Louisiana preliminaries have begun, and if Cannon earns the crown, she hopes to share her passion for inspiring and encouraging others statewide.
“If I were to earn the crown, I would most look forward to the ability to travel around our beautiful state encouraging individuals from all walks of life,” Cannon said. “I have an overflowing passion for helping individuals discover their worth and the value of their gifts, and I would love to continue the process as Miss Louisiana. Louisiana is full of rich culture just waiting to be explored!”
The Miss Louisiana organization is part of the Miss America Organization, the number one provider of scholarships for women in the world. It has a volunteer-based Board of Directors that works to share the accomplishments of the 30 candidates and provide scholarships to further their education. This year, it will award over $60,000 in cash scholarships with over $500,000 in cash and in-kind scholarships made available.
Check local listings to watch Cannon compete at 7:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, June 19, 2021.
