‘UK at the Half’: Miss USA, UK Alum Elle Smith Thankful for Wildcat Community

For this “UK at the Half,” University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information alumna Elle Smith discusses how thankful she is for her UK experience and connections that will undoubtedly help her successfully fulfill her role as Miss USA. 

Before being crowned Miss USA in November, Smith was a television news reporter in Louisville. Smith contributes much of her personal and professional success to her undergraduate experience at UK.

“I will always be proud to rep the University of Kentucky. I will be a Wildcat until the day I die,” Smith said. “The alumni group, the students I went to school with, the professors, everyone. We love our campus, and we love our community.”

The title of Miss USA comes with many responsibilities, but there is one in particular that Smith holds close to her heart. She will spend her year of reign advocating for education about cervical cancer prevention in honor of her beloved grandmother, who passed away from cervical cancer in 2015. Smith will work with the National Cervical Cancer Coalition for programming and is seeking advice from UK Markey Cancer Center experts about how best to use her title to raise awareness.