By Datarvia Parrish

Livingstone News Service

SALISBURY — In 1930, Livingstone College crowned its first queen, Ruth Bowling, during the homecoming celebration. During the Oct. 2017 homecoming week, Livingstone College will crown Brandi Charde’ Gourdine as the 88th Miss Livingstone College.

She was elected in early April following a campus pageant. Candidates vying for the position of any campus queen or king engage in a week of campaigning to include student forums, interviews, campus speeches, candy-bag politics and pageantry.

Gourdine is a 20-year-old from Charlotte, and is the daughter of Cassandra Davis and William Gourdine. During her matriculation at Livingstone College, she has been consistently involved in an array of organizations and activities.

She began her leadership as freshman class president in the 2014-15 year, and was named Miss Sophomore for the 2015-16 year. As a servant-leader, Gourdine has assisted her peers as a Blue Bear Ambassador aiding freshmen students in college skills courses and mentoring incoming freshmen as an employee of the Summer Bridge Program for the past two years. She was secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter at Livingstone, and she is a mentee in the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Program.

As a scholarship recipient in the Livingstone College Concert Choir, she has frequently traveled to many destinations representing the college. She serves as president of the Beta Psi Club in affiliation with the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc. and she is a participant in the Advancing Interest and Motivation (AIM) in STEM Careers program and the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers.

Gourdine holds memberships in the honors program of Livingstone College and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society. Along with her honors organizations, she was featured in “Illumination” by Duke Energy and was given a scholarship along with an article highlighting her accomplishments. Additionally, she is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and serves as the Alpha Xi Chapter president. Gourdine is actively involved and evolving while maintaining a 3.6 grade point average.

She aspires to work as a chemical lab technician for LabCore while preparing to attend medical school at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga. Her ultimate professional goal is to become a dermatologist focusing on skin care for women of color and research in epithelial cysts.

Her platform while running for Miss Livingstone College 2017-2018 is “Nurturing the legacy: Poise, preparation and perseverance.” Gourdine believes she can revive the legacy of greatness set by the founding fathers of Livingstone College through mentorship, professional development and life-long learning programs. She lives by the scripture Proverbs 31:10, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”

The 2017-2018 Royal Court of Livingstone College is rounded out by Mister Livingstone College Javien Carter, Miss Maple A’Kira Thomas, Mister Maple Valworth Jones and Mister Oak Chaz Davenport. The Class Kings and Queens include Miss Senior Jenna Wright, Mister Senior Germaine Knowles, Miss Junior Shelby Hunt, Mister Junior Percy Careathers, Miss Sophomore Sha’tajonae Armstrong and Mister Sophomore Antoine Ewell.