Miss U.S. Virgin Islands representation began in 1956 when Miriam Edna Golden was crowned as the first Miss Virgin Islands in June 1956 sponsored by Virgin Islands Hotel Association. In 1961 came the second edition of Miss Virgin Islands title. Between 1961 and 1978 the Miss Virgin Islands national competition was organized to send the winners to the international pageants.
Priscilla Bonilla was the first Miss Universe U.S Virgin Islands to compete at Miss Universe in 1961 in the United States. Cherrie Raphaelia Creque was the first and only Miss U.S. Virgin Islands to place in the Top 15 of Miss Universe (1971). Since then, three delegates have been crowned Miss Congeniality at the pageant: Monique Lindesay (1991), Merlisa George (2002), and Tricia Homer (2005).
Between 1978 and 2007 Miss United States Virgin Islands contest had become the most prestigious contest in the islands. Contestants from this pageant who placed in runner-up positions also went on to represent the territory at Miss World and Miss Earth pageants.
The Miss Universe U.S Virgin Islands franchise has been directed and built to it’s historic standing by several members of the local commmunity: The Lions Club of St. Thomas, Debra Gottlieb, Helen Hart, Denise Green, and Tom Youth of US Ventures, LLC. In 2017, the Miss Universe U.S. Virgin Islands franchise was granted its license by the Miss Universe Organization to Lulu Orange Tyson of Lulu Orange, Inc.
NATIONAL DIRECTOR
South Florida native Lulu Orange Tyson is the current national director of Miss Universe U.S Virgin Islands. Tyson is an area admissions director and nurse liaison in Palm Beach County, FL, which serves three rehabilitation centers. She was also once presented with an “Outstanding Contributor” award, after generating over $15 million in revenue for a corporation. Having been featured on many popular TV and radio shows, Lulu Orange Tyson is a familiar face in media. She has headlined a web TV series; hosted her own shows, such as The Boardroom TV Show and OJ in the Morning With Lulu Orange; and was even selected to give a news segment for an upcoming Miss Florida U.S.A. preliminary pageant, on WJHG News Channel 7 Panama City.
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However, Lulu is more than just a photogenic, pretty face. Her accomplishments are as equally as impressive in the classroom, and she has the degrees to prove it; she’s a graduate of Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in communications, and later Florida International University, where she earned a Master’s in corporate administration.​ Lulu is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority: the Beta Tau Zeta chapter based in Miami. She has served in various positions on the local level as the second vice president, in addition to serving as a state-level reporter, a business partnership chair, and as the national interim director of the Miss Zeta Phi Beta Pageant. Lulu has also been honored as Miss Florida Zeta and Regional Miss SE Regional Zeta, among others.
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Any queen that is willing to help other women unlock their hidden potential is a woman who should be admired. To that end, Lulu has developed the organization, Pageant Role Models, for this very purpose. This organization empowers women to love the skin that they’re in by exposing them to industry professionals, who teach workshops on interview skills, proper etiquette, and image management.One of Lulu’s protégés, Raquel Pelissier, was crowned 2016 Miss Haiti Universe, and eventually went on to become the first runner-up at the 2017 Miss Universe pageant.
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Contact Our National Director Here.
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