LSU Shreveport’s Pearl Merry, an undergraduate alumna and current graduate student, has been crowned Miss City of Lights 2022, a qualifying event for the 2022 Miss Louisiana pageant.
No stranger to pageantry, Merry was crowned Miss LSUS 2017, the university’s first campus queen since 1995. The pageant was revitalized as part of the LSUS 50th anniversary celebration.
Merry graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry concentrating in Biochemistry and with two minors, Biology and Business, in December 2020.
“Words cannot express how excited I am to represent the Miss City of Lights title,” Merry said. “I can’t wait to make a positive impact in my community and empower children through my social impact platform, ‘Kids, Today. Leaders, Tomorrow.’. I’m also thrilled to be competing in Miss Louisiana as many people have been encouraging me and telling me they can’t wait to see me shine! I am excited for what this year will bring and what this new chapter of my life holds!”
She is currently enrolled in the Master of Business Administration program concentrating in Marketing while conducting medicinal plant research in the LSUS Cyber Collaboratory with Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Vonny Salim, as a graduate assistant. Her research role, which involves potentially increasing anti-cancer drug production, exemplifies what she aims to cultivate in children with her social impact platform.
The Miss City of Lights pageant prioritizes the social impact platforms of its contestants, and Merry’s involves motivating and encouraging children statewide to be positive change agents in their communities particularly via STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), music, and the arts.
“Whether it be playing music for the nursing home and hospice, or encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and getting them excited about education and making discoveries, I want these kids to know they can make a difference and that with hard work, they can pursue their dreams,” Merry said.
