Northwestern Student Advances to Miss Oklahoma Semifinals

June 30, 2026

Abbey Elam (right) and Lauren Thomason (left) take a photo together at the 2026 Miss Oklahoma Competition at Rose State College in Midwest City.

ALVA, Okla. — Abbey Elam, a Northwestern Oklahoma State University sophomore from Woodward majoring in media and communication, advanced to the top 15 semifinalists at the 2026 Miss Oklahoma Competition during her first year competing in the contest as Miss Northwestern.

The Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma's Teen Competitions took place the week of June 7 at Rose State College in Midwest City. The 15 semifinalists, including Elam, competed again the evening of Saturday, June 13, for the Miss Oklahoma crown.

Abbey Elam, Miss Northwestern 2026, poses during the evening gown portion of the Miss Oklahoma Competition at Rose State College in Midwest City. (Photo by Matt Boyd)

Elam's semifinalist finish earned her scholarship money she plans to use toward her education at Northwestern. For the talent portion of competition, she performed the vocal solo “Fields of Gold” and modeled a black evening gown. She also discussed her community service initiative, “Small Victories,” during her private interview and on-stage question. She is the daughter of John and Donna Elam.

“My week at Miss Oklahoma is one I will remember forever,” Elam said. “I can’t help but smile when I think about how blessed I am to have built so many incredible friendships with such inspiring women from across our state. It was an amazing opportunity to represent Northwestern and to grow both personally and professionally throughout the week.”

Lauren Thomason, Miss Northwestern’s Teen, performs “The Girl in 14G” during the talent portion of the 2026 Miss Oklahoma Competition at Rose State College in Midwest City. (Photo by Matt Boyd)

Lauren Thomason, Miss Northwestern's Teen, also represented the university throughout the week-long competition. Thomason, who will be a sophomore at Burlington High School in the upcoming school year, performed a vocal solo titled “The Girl in 14G” and wore a white evening gown for the formal wear portion of competition. She shared information about her community service initiative, “Confidence for Kids,” and took part in rehearsals and a Pilates class throughout the week. She is the daughter of Kevin and Angela Thomason.

“I had the best time at Miss Oklahoma’s Teen,” Thomason said. “I loved getting to showcase all of my hard work on stage. My favorite part of the week was spending time and making memories with all of the other teens!”

Hadleigh Dugger (right), Miss Northwestern’s Star, poses for a photo with Jane Jayroe (left), Miss America 1967 and native of Laverne, at the 2026 Miss Oklahoma Competition at Rose State College in Midwest City.

Hadleigh Dugger, Miss Northwestern's Star, attended luncheons, parties and rehearsals throughout the week and accompanied Elam onstage during the evening gown phase of competition. Dugger was mentored by Elam, Thomason, other local titleholders and Miss Oklahoma 2025 Tessa Dorrell, and she met Laverne native Jane Jayroe, Miss America 1967, during the event. She is the daughter of Dillon and TaKeyah Dugger and calls Shattuck home.

Competition categories at Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma's Teen included interview, on-stage question, evening gown, talent, and health and fitness.

Jaselyn Rossman, Miss Tulsa State Fair, was crowned Miss Oklahoma, and Finley Henderson, Miss Oil Capital's Teen, was named Miss Oklahoma's Teen. Rossman and Henderson will represent Oklahoma at the Miss America and Miss America's Teen competitions later this year.

The 2027 Miss Northwestern and Miss Northwestern's Teen Competitions are scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Fellers Family Auditorium in Herod Hall on the Northwestern campus in Alva. Elam, Thomason and Dugger will crown their successors during the event, continuing a Miss Northwestern tradition that began in 1966.

The Miss Northwestern Organization and the Miss Oklahoma Organization provide scholarship opportunities for young women pursuing their education.

“Finishing in the Top 15 was an incredible honor,” Elam said. “I’m so thankful for everything this experience has taught me. I know God has a plan for every step of this journey, and I’m excited to see what doors He opens next as I continue pursuing my dreams.”

For more information, or to inquire about the availability of the Miss Northwestern titleholders for appearances, contact Paige Fischer, Miss Northwestern Organization Executive Director, at 580-327-8533 or plfischer@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Media Contact:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480