After the 2025 Miss Auburn University Scholarship Competition on Nov. 8, the 2024 Miss Auburn University Mary-Coker Green and the newly crowned 2025 Miss Auburn University Mikella Anderson provided insight into the program. Green and Anderson spoke on preparing for the 2025 competition, the program’s impact on their lives and future plans.
The 2025 Miss Auburn University Scholarship Competition occurred Friday, Nov. 8, and the 2024 Miss Auburn University Mary-Coker Green crowned Mikella Anderson, who will represent the program and Auburn University in 2025.
After the competition, Green and Anderson discussed their role as Miss Auburn University, representing over 33,885 students who call Auburn home. Green spoke about the program’s impact on her life personally and professionally and her plans after graduation, while Anderson shed light on the program’s future through her service.
Since freshman year, Green competed in the Miss Alabama organization for various roles, but she described her unique position as Miss Auburn University as “unexpected yet innovative.”
Green emphasized how the position helped her grow personally through understanding the importance of selfless service, which she has learned most about during her senior year.
“I think in the beginning, it was a lot of what can I do for the building of myself? What can I put on my resume? What would better me,” Green said. “Junior and senior year, I’ve been able to look back and decide, what are ways that Auburn has truly impacted me that I want to be able to give back to?”
More than benefiting others, Green quickly reminded selfless service often benefits the giver too.
“You’re going to walk away with so much more experience, exciting memories and growthful opportunities whenever you’re coming from that place of selfless service rather than doing any of it for the glory of yourself,” said Green.
Green explained that beyond personal growth, the program helped her grow more professionally than any other organization she's part of.
Because of her connection to the Miss Auburn University program, Green worked an internship this past summer, which helped her realize she wants work in fundraising after graduation. The Director of Miss Auburn University, who helped organize the internship for Green, works with University Advancement, an on-campus organization supporting the university's mission through donor support and fundraising campaigns.
For the 2025 competition, Green spoke individually with both contestants and judges. Spending four weeks with the contestants, Green encouraged and watched them grow while advising the judges on what to look for in the next Miss Auburn University.
Green said Miss Auburn University must be admirable yet approachable, which is a balance she had to master during her service.
“But the challenge of relating to your peers and being someone that they want to come up and speak to and ask questions to, even though you’re the same age was a way that I feel like I’ve really grown this past year,” said Green “How to be both impressive with how I speak and command a room whenever I walk in and be able to speak to adults but [also] never be so polished and put together that people my own age feel as though we are not the same.”
Musical ability is present in Green’s family after Green’s two performances on Friday night, a vibrant rendition of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” on the fiddle and a heartfelt vocal performance of “You Are My Sunshine” with her father and brother.
Green mentioned her fiddle performance is her favorite part of competing in the Miss Alabama organization. Green’s great-grandfather Aaron Bozeman was a famous fiddler in South Alabama, and she learned to play in the fourth grade with his fiddle.
After crowning the current Miss Auburn University, Green’s next step is graduating in May and searching for jobs.
“I’d love to potentially stay and work for the university but ultimately want to go into fundraising,” said Green. “[I] believe in the importance of a business having a passion and the ability to pull other people into that passion, whether that’s through their finances or through their talents or through other resources and their time.”
Regarding competing, Green as the 2024 Miss Shelby County will work on her service initiative and compete for Miss Alabama in the upcoming summer.
Expressing her virtue of selfless service, Green thanked Auburn University for the opportunity to serve as the 2024 Miss Auburn University, wanting to leave a legacy of fostering growth for future winners.
“I don’t want to go down as the best Miss AU ever,” said Green. “I want to go down as the Miss AU that believes in the mission of this program and fostered innovation and growth for the following girls.”
The 2025 Miss Auburn University Mikella Anderson shared Green’s sentiments about the program. Speaking about the competition and upcoming plans, Anderson shared that her new position as Miss Auburn University is a once in a lifetime experience.
Competing in the Miss Alabama organization since 13, Anderson said her experience helped her compete and will help her best serve Auburn University.
“I think all of my years of being a title holder have prepared me for one moment, because I think had I not had previous experience, I would be a lot more stressed out than I am right now,” said Anderson.
During the competition, Anderson mentioned the unique environment and cultivated relationships between Green, the contestants and herself, citing the Miss America pillar of sisterhood.
“I think we all wanted to come together to really cherish that moment and make the most out of it, and becoming friends though the rehearsals was the best way to do that,” said Anderson.
Since being crowned, Anderson visited Ware Jewelers, a Miss Auburn University sponsor that awarded Anderson with a diamond AU pendant. The pendant, which Aubie the Tiger proposed to Anderson with on Friday, has become a Miss Auburn University tradition.
Currently, Anderson is planning appearances and interviews and will be on the Haley Concourse throughout the year, encouraging students to learn more about her service initiative.
Anderson’s service initiative is "Color for a Cure: A Beautiful End to Diabetes," which advocates raising awareness for diabetes. With a type one diabetic brother, Anderson chose this initiative because of its personal impact.
“When my brother was 16 years old, he was diagnosed with type one diabetes, and I was four at the time, and I didn’t know what diabetes was,” said Anderson. “I just knew that my brother wasn’t playing football as well, and that after practices, he wasn’t coming home to play with me anymore because he was so tired.”
To raise awareness, Anderson plans to implement three practical steps on and off campus.
First, Anderson plans to raise money for research to discover a cure for type one diabetes. Partnered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, for every dollar that Anderson raises, the foundation will match three times.
Second, Anderson wants to educate children in classroom settings about the symptoms of diabetes. This step will teach children, whether affected directly or indirectly, recognize common symptoms and help the undiagnosed get diagnosed and treated.
“If [the children] know that something is wrong, they can tell their parents this is what’s going on, and they can go to a doctor so they can get diagnosed,” said Anderson.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 8.7 of 38.4 million Americans with diabetes went undiagnosed in 2021, and Anderson wants to reduce this number by educating future generations.
Third, Anderson wants to educate the general public and Auburn students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Proactive measures are the best medicine, and 30 minutes of daily exercise and a healthy diet can prevent developing type two diabetes.
“It’s the first time we’re having to really watch what we’re eating and make our own meals and make sure that we’re staying active,” said Anderson, referencing Auburn students. “And I believe that the habits we form in our twenties become the health issues we experience in our sixties.”
To help Auburn students become healthier, Anderson wants to partner with Tiger Dining for new healthy menu options and partner with the Ralph Brown Draughon Library to increase the amount of treadmills and exercise desks. Anderson also plans to expand these exercise desks to more campus buildings.
Both Green and Anderson spoke about how the Miss Auburn University program has positively impacted them, and through this influential role, Anderson will represent the university and raise awareness for diabetes to benefit the Auburn community.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
