Evening gowns swept across the stage as contestants stepped into a spotlight shaped by months of preparation, mentorship and refinement at Vanderbilt University’s 2026 Miss Old Gold and Black Scholarship Pageant, hosted by the Kappa Theta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
More than a performance competition, the pageant evaluated contestants across interview, fitness wear, creative performing arts, academic achievement and public presentation while centering conversations around healthcare disparities affecting Black women in the United States.
This year’s contestants transformed personal experiences with healthcare disparities and underrepresentation in medicine into advocacy platforms rooted in scholarship, leadership and visibility…