Published July 27, 2023
CAPTION:Miss ULM Leslie Hobgood competes at Miss Louisiana 2023. Photo credit: Steven Palowsky
MONROE, LA – Miss ULM 2023 Leslie Hobgood finished in the top 3 of the Miss Louisiana competition
held in June. Hobgood won the Preliminary Alpha Talent Award, the Preliminary Alpha
Evening Gown Award, and the Women in the Arts Award on her way to finishing as 2nd Runner-Up in the field of 27 contestants from across the state.
“This is such a testament to the caliber of students we have at ULM,” said Meghan
Olinger, Director of ULM Titleholders. Olinger says some of Hobgood’s goals for the
competition were to win a Preliminary Talent Award and to place in the Top 5. “We
have not had a Miss ULM place in the Top 5 for several years, and I wanted to make
sure she had the tools she needed to accomplish her goals,” said Olinger.
“Competing in Miss Louisiana is something I will never forget,” said Hobgood. “I dreamed
of representing ULM on the Miss Louisiana stage for the longest time, and I am forever
grateful that I was the one chosen to do so,” she added.
Hobgood will continue her reign as Miss ULM 2023 until November, when Miss ULM 2024
is crowned. She said she plans to continue promoting her community service initiative,
“Finding the Advantage in Learning Disadvantages,” helping recruit potential delegates
for Miss ULM, and serving as the university’s official hostess.
As part of her community service initiative, Hobgood will visit local schools this
fall, especially those specializing in learning disabilities, to share her own story
of being diagnosed with dyslexia at 17 and encourage those in a similar situation.
Hobgood is set to graduate from ULM in December 2023 with a degree in Vocal Performance.
“I consider it a privilege and honor to have watched how hard Leslie worked to prepare
for Miss Louisiana and I think anyone watching knows she represented ULM so wonderfully,”
said Olinger.
Additionally, Olinger noted that another ULM student in the Miss Louisiana competition,
Lake Carpenter, was a Top 10 Semi-Finalist as well. Carpenter just completed her freshman
year at ULM and was a finalist at the Miss ULM competition in November 2022. “I think
our entire Warhawk family can be incredibly proud of the performances of both young
ladies on the Miss Louisiana stage. We were certainly well represented,” added Olinger.
The 2024 ULM Titleholder competitions will be held in November, with Mister ULM on
Friday, November 17, Miss ULM on Saturday, November 18, and Miss ULM’s Teen on Sunday,
November 19. Miss ULM’s Teen 2023 Geneviève Wetzel placed as a Top 10 Semi-Finalist
at Miss Louisiana’s Teen in April 2023.
If anyone is interested in competing in the Mister ULM, Miss ULM, or Miss ULM’s Teen
competitions, they can contact ulmtitleholders@ulm.edu for more information. Workshops and informational meetings for interested competitors
will be held during the fall 2023 semester.
For more information about Miss ULM, click here.
