Texas Tech student balances grad school and Miss Texas bid

A graduate student at Texas Tech University is getting ready to compete in the Miss Texas pageant while finishing her second master's degree. This makes her both a scholar and a competitor on the statewide stage.

Kortnie Koebel, who was just named Miss Lubbock, will compete for Miss Texas in June. The Dallas-Fort Worth native has a background that includes forensic science, mass communication, and foreign studies. He has also stayed true to himself in competition.

Koebel said, "I don't prepare for questions on stage." "I think it's very important to be true to myself."

Koebel's method aligns with a broader worldview that values critical thinking over pre-planned answers. She noted that taking a moment to reflect on a topic leads to more honest answers, which she thinks judges will agree with.

She has also been cautious about her academic career. Koebel earned three associate degrees at Connors State College before earning a bachelor's degree in sociology with honors, focusing on criminology and forensic science. In May 2025, she got her master's degree in forensic science. Now she is working on her second graduate degree in mass communication.

She became interested in forensic science while in junior college, when a professor suggested she look into crime scene investigation. "I realized that I wanted to help people, especially those who didn't have a voice anymore," she stated.

Koebel plans to start a career in forensics later this year, but she also sees communication courses as a beneficial way to help her get there.

She has also been a part of the Honors College and the Semester at Sea program at Texas Tech, which took her to 16 different countries. She remarked that the trip abroad made her more observant of other cultures and better at getting along with people.

Koebel added, "It was the chance of a lifetime," referring to immersion experiences abroad, such as eating with locals.

Koebel is different from other students because of her determination, according to faculty members. Bethany Kuwitzky, who is in charge of study abroad, said that problems have just made her more determined. Kuwitzky stated, "When she decides to do something, she does it."

Koebel started her studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she had to deal with remote learning and the inability to see people in person. Later, she got very involved in campus life. She joined more than 10 student groups and worked in the study abroad office, where she helped hundreds of students.

In addition to her studies and pageantry, Koebel has found a creative outlet in making clothes out of recycled soda can tabs. This is a unique part of her brand that shows her commitment to mental health and sustainability.

Koebel added that her goal hasn't changed as she prepares for the June competition: to be honest with herself and keep building a career based on service.

Her path, which includes academic excellence and personal initiative, supports a main idea she brings to the pageant stage: preparation is important, but being yourself is what makes you successful.

The story was first featured on the Texas Tech University website.