Name: Porscha Armwood
Major: Business Administration and Communications
Hometown: Clayton
Class: 2012
The old basketball courts near Odum probably aren’t where one would expect to see UNC’s 2011 Miss Black & Gold practicing her jump shot. But then again, senior Porscha Armwood is anything but your typical beauty queen.
When I asked her what was the strangest beauty trick that she’d tried she laughed and replied, “Trying to put on makeup.”
When she was younger, Porscha’s mother strongly discouraged her from wearing makeup, which Porscha believes helped teach her to be confident and secure with who she was.
“You see those kids on ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ who just cake the makeup on, and when they take it off, they no longer feel pretty. I’m really thankful I learned how to feel beautiful without it.”
Porscha’s confidence goes far beyond her self-esteem though.
When she was seven years old, Porscha began playing competitive basketball on a coed rec team where she was the only girl.
“I really had to prove myself to the boys until they finally started passing to me,” she said.
And prove herself she did; she lead one middle school team to an undefeated season, made the varsity team her freshman year of high school and wowed several coaches and college scouts at AAU showcases.
Porscha received many offers to play for various colleges, but she eventually decided not to pursue a career in college basketball because she wanted to devote her time to other extracurricular pursuits like being a residential advisor.
However, Porscha did find a home with the women’s club basketball team her freshman year at UNC. She has greatly enjoyed her past four years of traveling around the country with the team, competing with other club teams and becoming a leader both on and off the court.
As she prepares for the Miss Black & Gold 2011 regionals, Porscha brings with her the quiet confidence taught to her by her mother and the determination learned by years of hard work on the basketball court.
“I’m just gonna do me.”
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