A Howard University professor and former Miss Kansas contestant known for her bright smile and zest for life was among the victims in Wednesday’s midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Reagan National Airport.

Kiah Duggins, 30, was named as a victim in the disaster by Howard University President Ben Vinson III, who called for privacy and respect for her family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time.

In a statement, the university said Duggins was set to begin a new chapter as a professor at Howard University School of Law this fall.

Kiah Duggins was known for her bright smile and zest for life. (Howard University)

Larry Strong, who was Duggins’ local pageant director when she competed for Miss Kansas and Miss Butler County, told KBTX that Duggins had “such a bright future ahead.”

In a Facebook post, he described her as “Miss Butler County 2014, 2015.”

“Kiah was a top 10 finalist in 2014 and 2015 at the Miss Kansas Pageant. She was preparing to be a law professor at Howard University in the fall. Keep her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

Annie Montgomery, minister of Tabernacle Bible Church in Wichita, told KMUW that she will remember Duggins for her bright smile and her zest for life.

“Kiah was the most beautiful young lady inside and out,” Montgomery said. “She was adventurous. She made friends so easily. She had the kind of personality that you just could not resist.”

Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport collided with a helicopter and crashed into the river near Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30, 2025. Duggins was one of 67 people to lose their lives in the disaster. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Lacey Cruse, a former Sedgwick County commissioner, described Duggins as “a brave and beautiful soul, a light in the fight for civil rights.”

“Her loss is heartbreaking, not only for her family and friends but for everyone who believes in justice and equality,” she wrote on Facebook. “May her work, her message, and her spirit continue to inspire and create change. Gone too soon but never forgotten.”

Duggins was one of 67 people to lose their lives in the disaster. The cause of the collision is being investigated.