L-R: Second runner-up Chloe Thies, Miss UAB 2020 Tiffany Millan and first runner-up Lona Anders. Tiffany Millan of Long Beach, California, was named Miss UAB 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Friday, Nov. 1. Seven candidates vied for the title in the Miss UAB Scholarship Competition.
Millan, a sophomore majoring in marketing in the Collat School of Business, also won the Spirit Award and the Talent Award, with a musical saxophone performance. Millan tied for Miss Congeniality. She won a total of $3,150 in scholarships. Millan is the daughter of Jorge Millan and Marisol Millan.
The Miss UAB Scholarship Competition is an official preliminary to the Miss Alabama and Miss America competitions. The competition, presented by UAB Student Involvement and Leadership, was held in UAB’s Hill Student Center Ballroom.
The first runner-up is Lona Anders, who also won the Civic Engagement Award. She won a total of $1,200 in scholarships. Anders, of Cullman, is a junior majoring in nursing in the UAB School of Nursing. She is the daughter of Willie Anders, Misty A. Woods and Shine Woods.
The second runner-up, Chloe Thies, who also won the Dr. Lindsey Elmore Award for service and tied with Millan for Miss Congeniality, won a total of $1,150 in scholarships. Thies, of Willisville, Illinois, is a graduate student in forensic science, in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Jason Ross.
Winners were also awarded certificates and flowers. Miss UAB 2020 received a gift certificate from Southern Exposure Photography, a year of free workout classes from True 40 Fitness Studio, an apparel discount from Bella’s Bridal, a gift bag from the UAB Bookstore, a gift card from BASECOAT on Fifth Nail Spa, and a framed photo of campus from Ilene and Ken Johnson. Miss UAB will receive a Miss UAB bathrobe from the Dressing Room Moms, an apparel discount from The Clothes Tree, and free haircut and color from Lindsey Griffin at Morgan Ashley Salon.
The Talent Award is sponsored by Kelly Belcher. The Spirit Award is sponsored by the Blazer Spirit Council. The Civic Engagement Award is sponsored by Serve205 and the Leadership and Service Council. Photography was provided by Little Brown Photography. Jim ‘N Nicks provided the judges’ dinner and Blazer Catering Co. provided a Starbucks coffee break for the judges. Crowne on 10th Apartments provided a candidate orientation dinner and panel gift cards as well as dinner for the candidates and volunteers on competition night.
Since 1983 the Miss UAB Scholarship Competition has been an official preliminary to the Miss Alabama and Miss America competitions. The program offers young women the opportunity to further educational goals through scholarships and personal growth. Students involved in the Miss UAB Scholarship Program gain valuable experience and opportunities to enhance leadership and interviewing skills, talent, poise and confidence. More than $4,600 in scholarships are awarded to the winner and alternates. Miss UAB goes on to compete in the Miss Alabama Competition in June.