In 1954, the Office of Student Development crowned Sarah Batton Yocom as the first Miss University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), then called Miss Northeast Louisiana State College (NLSC). Over 70 years later, senior pre-pharmacy major Lake Carpenter strives to redefine what it means to be Miss ULM.

From the moment Miss ULM 2024 Gabrelle McLeod placed the crown on her head, Carpenter started planning her reign. Her shock at the unexpected win quickly transformed into determination.

“I really want to make sure that I make my impact on the world [and] that they remember who I was, not just as Miss ULM, but individually as Lake Carpenter,” she said.

Carpenter recognized that Miss ULM is more than a title; it is a position of power. The crown carries a legacy built on the backs of over a hundred women, both winners and competitors. Wearing a satin sash and holding a bouquet of roses, the newly crowned Miss ULM asked herself: “What can Lake Carpenter do to change Miss ULM?”

Growing up in a nontraditional family, Carpenter spent most of her childhood bouncing from house to house. Skipping birthday parties, sleeping on couches, and living out of drawers, Carpenter remembered the lingering feelings of jealousy and loneliness. While she adored her parents, the titleholder could not help the feelings that arose when she saw her classmates with traditional families: happily married parents with adorable little brothers and sisters.

“For as long as I can remember, I remember comparing my family structure to other children’s family structures, and that was something that was a big problem for me,” Carpenter said. “It’s hard. A lot of children don’t realize, and a lot of people don’t realize, how detrimental that can be on your mental health.”

Carpenter’s situation was not unique. According to Forbes’ interview with the Chosen Family Law Center, nontraditional families comprised nearly 80% of U.S. households in 2024. Nontraditional families expanded to include single parents, same-sex families, cohabitants, blended families, and legal guardians. However, these statistics do not always translate into reality, at least in Carpenter’s case.

Each year, Miss ULM organizes and implements a Community Service Initiative (CSI), a passion project that individualizes her year-long reign. The 2025 Miss ULM Community Service Initiative, “We Are Family,” distinguishes Carpenter from her predecessors.

Drawing from her past experiences, she hopes to raise awareness for children like her who grew up in nontraditional families. Carpenter seeks to create an inclusive and welcoming community by redefining what local students view as family.

“The whole point of my CSI is to shift the perspective of what family is,” Carpenter said. “We always just think a mom and a dad, brother and a sister, but honestly, in this day and age, that’s not what a family is.”

Carpenter understands that children begin comparing their experiences to others as early as elementary school. Differences between lifestyles, cultures, and beliefs quickly become apparent.

Promoting inclusivity, Carpenter frequently visits elementary schools in the Monroe area, allowing students to create their own definitions of family. She reads children’s books describing different types of animal kingdom families. Then, she encourages students to break down the divisions between the traditional and nontraditional.

“I could see them, thinking and changing and asking questions,” Carpenter said. “That’s exactly what it’s about. Opening up your family and, in turn, you’re going to be happier and feel more loved.”

To Carpenter, family extends beyond bloodlines and genealogy. The beginner ballerinas she teaches pliés and pirouettes seem more like younger siblings than students. The Louisiana Delta Ballet Company, for which she is a dancer, is a home away from home. Her fellow Campus Activities Board (CAB) members, with whom she spends hours tediously planning events, are some of her closest friends. The close-knit community she found in Monroe may seem nontraditional and varied, but they are family all the same.

Carpenter appreciates their tireless support as she prepares for the next step of her journey: competing in Miss Louisiana. Held in June, Miss Louisiana is a statewide competition wherein over 30 contestants from New Orleans to Shreveport contend for the title of Miss Louisiana and bid for Miss America.

For Carpenter, the competitive atmosphere and pressure of preparing for Miss Louisiana is nothing new. Two years ago, she entered as Miss Heart of Pilot and placed in the Top Ten.

But, as her impressive win at the Miss ULM competition proves, Lake Carpenter believes that 2025 is the year Monroe will earn its second Miss Louisiana title.

“I carry ULM on my back, and there are so many people, especially in Monroe, who are such big fans of ULM or identify with ULM because they’re alums or supporters,” Carpenter said. “It pushes me even more to know that I have to be the best version of myself when it comes to June at Miss Louisiana.”

Whether or not she wins Miss Louisiana, Carpenter does not need another title to cement her legacy. It lives in the welcoming and inclusive community she devoted her time to creating here in Monroe.