Miss Delaware
Miss Delaware Alyssa Murray is communication major at UD
12:43 p.m., Sept. 21, 2012--Alyssa Murray, a junior communication major at the University of Delaware, holds the title Miss Delaware and will be competing in the Miss America competition this coming January in Paradise, Nev.
Murray is taking this year away from UD to devote her time to the big job that comes with being Miss Delaware.
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“Preparing for Miss Delaware is a full-time job, let alone being Miss Delaware,” Murray says. “It is bittersweet. After Miss Delaware, I will come back to UD, go to law school and become a legal analyst for a news station.”
Murray is currently promoting her platform for skin cancer advocacy and awareness as well as devoting her time to other charitable causes such as Autism Speaks and Meals on Wheels.
After winning the title Miss Coastal Bay, Murray, a native of Selbyville, Del., joined the Miss America Organization and went on to compete for Miss Delaware. Originally, Murray was interested in winning scholarships to pay for college and law school, but she found that the pageants are much more than scholarships opportunities.
“I had to be confident in my abilities to be Miss Delaware before the judges could be,” Murray explained. The Miss America Organization honors proactive women who are involved in their community, focused on education and want to spread awareness of current issues in the world.
As Miss Delaware, Murray maintains a healthy and fit lifestyle while getting involved in community activities and charitable events. “I am very excited to represent Delaware at the Miss America competition. It’s a big honor.”
The Miss America competition consists of five stages: lifestyle and fitness, evening gown, private interview, onstage questions and talent. For the talent portion, Murray will perform a jazz dance to River Deep, Mountain High. However, she is extremely excited for the private interview.
“I love the interview stage. It’s 10 minutes for the judges to get to know you. I think it is the most important part of the competition.” Often, Murray is asked about her educational experiences, future plans and especially about her political views. “I get asked a lot of political questions, because it’s what I want to do with my life.”
Though questions about one’s political position can be uncomfortable Murray is undaunted. “With Miss Delaware, they never penalize you for your beliefs, but you have to back them up. That’s the great thing about Miss America — they don’t tell you what to believe. I don’t think a lot of other pageants are like that.”
When Murray returns to UD to complete her undergraduate education she hopes to start a melanoma advocacy on campus as well as contribute to causes pursued by the sorority of which she is a member, Alpha Xi Delta.
Article by Sarah E. Meadows