For The University of Alabama’s newest homecoming queen, Gadsden-native Kameron Baba, the journey to the crown represents much more than a campus honor.

As a first-generation college student, she arrived at the Capstone without a roadmap, uncertain of what the next four years would hold. Now, after building a college experience defined by leadership, mentorship and meaningful connections, she hopes her story will encourage other students to embrace the opportunities in front of them, regardless of where they come from.

Her decision to attend The University of Alabama began with a campus tour that made her feel at home before she had even enrolled. An Alabama alumna from Gadsden arranged a private tour, introducing her to the university and its welcoming community.

“I felt like I had already had a place there,” she said.

Without parents who had experienced the college admissions process themselves, Kameron faced questions about navigating the next four years, finding resources and adjusting to an unfamiliar environment.

“My parents were extremely supportive and were so excited to watch me go into that next step, but there were definitely a lot of uncertainties,” she said. “I didn’t really have a roadmap laid out.”

Knowing that her experience would look different as a first-generation student, Baba took the initiative to make her time at Alabama her own.

Since choosing Alabama, Kameron has chosen a path of involvement. From the Blackburn Institute to Capstone Men and Women and Capital Scholars, as well her leadership in her sorority, Chi Omega, Baba came into college in search of community and credits her success to the mentorship she’s received.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have so many older girls in my corner who have really pushed me outside my comfort zone and seen a lot in me that I didn’t see in myself,” she said.

It is the willingness to embrace new opportunities that eventually led her to the homecoming queen title, an accomplishment she admits she never imagined when she first arrived at Alabama.

A friend encouraged her to apply while the two were participating in the Capital Scholars program in Washington, D.C. Initially, she dismissed the possibility, believing the opportunity was beyond anything she could envision for herself.

However, after reflecting on the different ways she had represented the university, she began to see the opportunity differently. Kameron recognized that her experiences could allow her to represent a diverse student body.

While her campus involvement has played a significant role in her journey, she says her greatest inspiration has always been her family. Her father immigrated to Alabama from Togo, West Africa, and her parents’ work ethic and determination have shaped the way she approaches every opportunity.

“Everything I’ve gone after whether I get it or not, I know that I’ve earned it fair and square because of how much work I’ve put into it,” Baba said. “That all leads back to just the philosophies that they instilled in me growing up.”

Her parents’ support has remained especially important throughout her college experience, which she describes as rewarding but far from easy. When her family learned she had been named homecoming queen, she said their reaction was filled with pride, particularly because they understood the challenges she had overcome along the way.

For her, the recognition also provided an opportunity to represent students whose experiences may not always fit the traditional college narrative.

A mentor once encouraged her to “play the cards that you’re dealt,” advice that has remained with her throughout her time at Alabama. She remembers entering college and recognizing that many of the students around her had different backgrounds and experiences. Rather than allowing those differences to define her college experience, she learned to use her own story as a source of motivation.

“What it means to me to represent the UA as a first-gen student is that no matter what your background is, no matter where you come from, there’s something so special in treating others the exact same,” she said.

Kameron hopes other first-generation students, recognize that their backgrounds should never limit what they believe is possible. Her philosophy throughout her time at Alabama has been to make the most of every opportunity and treat every person with kindness.

Although being named homecoming queen is a milestone she will always remember, she says the accomplishment she is most proud of has little to do with awards or recognition.

Instead, it is the relationships she has built along the way.

Reflecting on her Homecoming campaign and her four years at Alabama, she emphasized the friendships and connections that have made her experience meaningful. She hopes the people she encountered remember not necessarily her titles or accomplishments, but the way she made them feel.

“I would rather people remember me for how I made them feel and how I interacted with them rather than what all I got when I was here on campus,” she said.

For a student who arrived at Alabama unsure of what the next four years would hold, she leaves with a community, a network of mentors and a story she hopes will inspire the next generation of first-generation students to find their place at the Capstone.

Hannah Glidden is a research intern at Yellowhammer News. You can contact her at [email protected]