NEWSCASTER TO NEWSMAKER:
THE STORY OF
MISS USA WRITTEN BY FRANKIE ROWLAND | PHOTOS BY SYDNEY TURNER
K
entucky’s newest It Girl, Elle Smith, described her crowning of Miss USA 2021 as a fairytale. In a matter of hours, she ascended from Miss Kentucky to Miss USA on Nov. 29 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the 70th Miss USA pageant. “I was not expecting it at all,” she said. “I was holding hands with North Carolina and Texas. My earring had just fallen out. It was surreal.” Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, less than three hours from campus, Elle said she grew up with very little attachment to the University of Kentucky. Although Samuel Smith, Elle’s father, bleeds scarlet and gray for Ohio State University, Elle toured and applied to many other universities. “As soon as we would arrive at different schools, she would immediately express her disinterest,” Lydia Smith, Elle’s mother, said. “But when we came to Kentucky, she lit up and began engaging in conversation with the tour guide. I knew this was it.”
As a freshman, Elle said she was unsure of which career path to pursue. After speaking to her adviser about her love for writing and history, she took Introduction to Journalism and continued on from there. Elle did not choose to pursue journalism as a career until her sophomore year, when a professor chose her as the only sophomore in her class to anchor in a mock TV newsroom. “I had no idea why my professor chose me, but as soon as I got behind the desk, I felt so comfortable,” she said. “It was then that solidified my decision.” Her involvement in extracurricular activities helped her navigate her interests even further. She participated in the UK Student News Network, the Kentucky Kernel and KRNL, WRFL and the National Association of Black Journalists. Elle also prioritized internships while she was in school. She worked with UK Sports Video, UK SEC Network, LEX 18, WKYT and Fox News.
Miss Kentucky and Miss USA pageant winner Elle Smith photographed in The Bellwether Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 in Louisville, Ky. | DRESS FROM REVOLVE
24 | KRNL LIFESTYLE + FASHION