NATCHITOCHES – Leighann Westfall of Houston and Otha Nelson of Baton Rouge were selected as queen and king of the 2016 Homecoming Honor Court at Northwestern State University.
Westfall and Nelson are part of a 22-member honor court, which will participate in activities during Homecoming Week at Northwestern State and will be presented at halftime of the Homecoming game against McNeese State on Saturday, Oct. 22.
The court also includes Katie Adams and Sarah Gandy of Monroe, Sha’Destiny Blackshire and Jaylon Lewis of Shreveport, Jordan Brisco of Opelousas, Anthony Cannata of Kenner, Myranda Degraw and Dedrick Lewis of Baton Rouge, Curtis Fennell of Boyce, Ashley Fortenberry and Emilie King of Natchitoches, T.J. Gorham of Alexandria, Demetri Hill of Mansfield, Abby Hinds of Many, Aly Jacobs of Houston, Bralyn James of Lake Charles, Nestor Mercado-Garcia of Cartegena, Colombia, John Pearce of Livonia, Antavious Roberson of Arcadia and Trey Roberts of Pineville.
Westfall is a hospitality management and tourism major in the Louisiana Scholars’ College. She is the daughter of Tim and Carrieann Westfall. A member of Phi Mu Fraternity, Westfall has been a freshman orientation leader and member of the Demon Days Welcome Week Committee. She is a President’s Leadership Program mentor and member of Order of Omega, Purple Jackets and Phi Kappa Phi. Westfall is a President’s List student.
Nelson is a junior liberal arts major with a concentration in politics, philosophy and economics in the Louisiana Scholars’ College. He is the son of Naomi Nelson and Curtis Nelson. A member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, he is vice president of the Student Government Association. Nelson is a member of the Interfraternity Council and Alpha Lambda Delta. He is a board member of the Fraternity and Sorority PAC and was student speaker at the 2015 New Student Convocation.
Adams is a senior social work major. She is the daughter of Martin and Jennifer Adams. A member of Phi Mu Fraternity, Adams is a member of Order of Omega and was in the Presidential Leadership Program. She is a Dean’s List student.
Blackshire is a senior criminal justice major. She is the daughter of Carolyn Blackshire. A member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Blackshire is a member of Helping Hands, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the African American Caucus. A President’s List student, she is a recipient of the Loftin Scholarship.
Brisco is a senior allied health major with a concentration in radiologic sciences. She is the daughter of Kathleen Dartez and Frank Brisco. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Brisco is a member of the Student Government Association and Blue Key Honor Society. She is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and was on the Demon Dazzler Dance Line and Purple Pizazz Pom Pon Line.
Cannata is the son of Peter and Heather Cannata. He is a senior mass communication major. Cannata is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, the Student Activities Board, Order of Omega and Demon Volunteers in Progress. He was an announcer at campus radio station KNWD and was a freshman orientation major and part of the Presidential Leadership Program. Cannata is a member of Blue Key and Alpha Lambda Delta.
Degraw is a senior psychology major. She is the daughter of Gary and Jeanne Degraw. A member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, Degraw was a freshman orientation leader and was in the Presidential Leadership Program. She is a member of Demon Volunteers in Progress, Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Kappa Phi. Degraw was on the Demon Days Welcome Week committee. She is a President’s List student and has worked in the First Year Experience Office.
Fennell is a junior electronic engineering major. He is son of Keith and Sandra Fennell. A Dean’s List student, he was on the Demon Days Welcome Committee and has worked in the First Year Experience Office. He is a member of Demon Volunteers in Progress and was in the President’s Leadership Program.
Fortenberry is the daughter of Fount and Lisa Fortenberry. She is a junior business administration major. Fortenberry is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority and Demon Volunteers in Progress. She is a Dean’s List student.
Gandy is a senior mass communication major. She is the daughter of Butch and Arlene Gandy. A President’s List student, Gandy is a member of the NSU cheerleading squad and Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. She is a member of Purple Jackets and Alpha Lambda Delta. Gandy has been on the staff of the campus newspaper, the Current Sauce and the yearbook, Potpourri.
Gorham is a senior social work major. He is the son of Terrell Gorham and Jennifer Gorham. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Order of Omega, the National Panhellenic Caucus, Helping Hands and the African-American Caucus. A Dean’s List student, Gorham is a former member of the Student Government Association and Student Activities Board.
Hill is the son of Lamesa Wyatt, Terry London and Nanette Hill. He is a senior biology major. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the American Society for Microbiology, Tri Beta Honor Society, Blue Key Honor Society and Lifted Voices Gospel Choir. A Dean’s List student, he was the recipient of internships at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Hinds is a junior health and exercise science major with a concentration in occupational therapy. She is the daughter of Amy and Rodney Wyatt and Eddy and Kristin Hinds. A member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, Hinds is a freshman orientation leader and a Demon Volunteer in Progress. She is a member of Purple Jackets Honor Society, Order of Omega and a Presidential Leadership Program mentor. A President’s List student, Hinds was named Greek Woman of the Year.
Jacobs is a junior accounting major. She is the daughter of Edmond and Connie Jacobs. A President’s List student, she is a member of Phi Mu Fraternity. Jacobs is the Student Government Association treasurer and was a 2016 freshman orientation leader. She was a member of the Presidential Leadership Program and Alpha Lambda Delta and was on the Demon Days Welcoming Committee.
James is a junior biology/pre-dentistry major. She is the daughter of Tracy and Joshua James. A Dean’s List student, she is president of the Student Activities Board. James is a member of Demon Volunteers in Progress and was in the Presidential Leadership Program. She was a freshman orientation leader.
King is a senior mathematics and secondary education major with a concentration in mathematics. She is the daughter of Dawn and Dustin Eubanks and David King. A member of Phi Mu Fraternity, she is the organization’s president. King is president of the Purple Jackets Club. She is a member of Order of Omega and Alpha Lambda Delta. King is a former freshman orientation leader, NSU cheerleader and Student Activities Board representative. She was named the Recognized Student Organization “Demon of the Year” and Phi Mu Active of the Year.
Dedrick Lewis is a junior business administration major with a concentration in marketing. He is the son of Trish Lewis and Nathan Lewis Sr. A Dean’s List student, Dedrick Lewis is a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band. He is in the NSU Lacrosse Club and is active on the Student Activities Board. He is a member of the Northwestern State Horn Society.
Jaylon Lewis is a junior business administration major. He is the son of Tiffany Burden. Jaylon Lewis is a member of the Student Activities Board, Helping Hands, the African-American Caucus and Demon Days Welcome Week Committee. He is an Honor Roll student.
Mercado-Garcia is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the NSU Soccer Club. He is involved with the International Student Resource Center. Mercado-Garcia is a music education and industrial engineering technology major and is a Dean’s List student. He is the son of Nelcyra Garcia.
Pearce is a senior communications major. He is the son of Frankie Pearce and Gina Griffon. Pearce is president of the Student Government Association and a member of Demon Volunteers in Progress. He was a freshman orientation leader and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the Order of Omega. Pearce is a Dean’s List student.
Roberson is the son of Suzette Cato and Anthony Roberson. He is a junior elementary education major. He is the Student Government Association student affairs commissioner. Roberson is a freshman orientation leader and was in the Capstone Leadership Program. He was on the Demon Days Welcome Week committee and served as a mentor in the President’s Leadership Program. He is an honor roll student.
Roberts is a senior psychology major with a concentration in substance abuse. He is the son of Jodie and Brenda Roberts. A Dean’s List student, he is secretary of the Student Government Association. Roberts is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, the Interfraternity Council, Demon Volunteers in Progress and the President’s Leadership Program.
Caption
Members of the 2016 Northwestern State Homecoming Honor Court are, front from left, Sarah Gandy, Jordan Brisco, Katie Adams, Sha’Destiny Blackshire, Emilie King, Leighann Westfall (queen), Aly Jacobs, Ashley Fortenberry, Bralyn James, Myranda DeGraw, Abby Hinds, back from left, Trey Roberts, Demetri Hill, John Pearce, Nestor Mercado, Jalon Lewis, Tre Nelson (king), Dedrick Lewis, Anthony Cannata, TJ Gorham, Curtis Fennell and Antavious Roberson.