Nikhia Sims has accomplished much since she was crowned Miss LSU in March 2024, but her eyes are set on the future and how she can make the most of her remaining time with the title.
Sims has six months left to do everything she had planned to accomplish with her title. When she thinks back to that exact moment on stage, Sims remembers being shocked, then ecstatic. All her preparation had finally paid off.
“I was completely satisfied with just placing, but being in the top two and hearing my name called was just so incredibly surreal,” Sims said. “I was over the moon.”
Sims quickly went to work, dedicating herself to her platform on mental health awareness by partnering with Project Wellness, a new club at LSU that promotes mental health. She also took part in an initiative called Pinning on Positivity, in which participants pin words of encouragement to other students who might need a little extra kindness.
“I knew right off the bat of winning that I needed to do something to try to make a difference in other people’s lives,” Sims said. “Even if it’s something small like pinning a compliment to someone, I knew it could make a big difference on campus.”
Sims will participate in a mental health charity ball in Baton Rouge next semester and further expand the scope of her platform in the LSU community. She also uses her social media platform to advocate for mental health. She feels strongly about spreading awareness on the subject, especially to college students who undergo lots of stress.
“In college we go through a lot. Just being able to spread some kindness and positivity on campus is a big deal for me because you never know what people are going through,” Sims said.
In addition to her work with Project Wellness, Sims has participated in many other events in conjunction with LSU. She was honored at LSU Day at the Capitol, and she rode in the homecoming parade. Sims also met Shaquille O’Neal after his homecoming DJ set, which has become one of her favorite moments as Miss LSU so far.
“It was so much fun,” Sims said. “That’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’ve gotten to do so many things, experience so many things, that I did not think I would get to do.”
While currently operating as Miss LSU, Sims is simultaneously preparing for her next pageant undertaking. Miss Louisiana 2025 takes place in the spring, and Sims has already begun training for various aspects of the competition.
She is working with a team to improve stage presence, public speaking and interview skills. She has also begun shopping for pageant attire and training for the swimwear portion of the competition. In her time as Miss LSU, she has felt lucky to have such a supportive team helping her work towards her goals.
“I was not expecting everyone to be so encouraging and uplifting and so helpful,” Sims said. “As Miss LSU, being surrounded by a bunch of incredible people who are so willing to help me is so amazing.”
Sims said the pageant has had a major impact on her time at LSU and a big part of that has been the friendships she formed through the competition itself.
“It’s such a great experience for the girls who are competing,” Sims said. “I’ve met so many friends through the pageant. It’s just a great experience overall to bring a bunch of girls together and uplift each other.”
Sims, a kinesiology major, said that balancing her role as Miss LSU with other academic and social obligations can get stressful at times. Despite this, she encourages the experience wholeheartedly. To the future winner of Miss LSU, she recommends trying to live every moment to its fullest.
“These last six months have gone by so fast,” Sims said. “It’s going to go by so fast, so just try to do everything you can, but also take a second to take it all in. Just being able to take advantage of these experiences is so incredible.”

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Courtesy of Miss LSU

Nikhia Sims poses for a photo with the LSU Gymnastics Team at LSU Day at the Capitol.