Hailey Mack has always believed that young women deserve a place in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Now, the University of Delaware civil engineering student is using her Miss Delaware 2025 crown to make that vision a reality.

Crowned in June, the rising sophomore from Sussex County will represent the First State at the Miss America competition this week. Through her initiative, Shoot for the Stars, Mack is championing girls and young women to explore STEM careers by visiting schools, science expos and community events throughout the year.

“My goal is to show young women across the state and beyond that you can do anything you put your mind to and that women deserve equal respect in the STEM workforce,” Mack said. “When others see that I’m not only an advocate for women in STEM but also a woman actively pursuing a STEM degree, they will feel inspired to do the same.”

Representing Delaware on the national stage is both an honor and a responsibility Mack takes to heart.

“It is such an incredible honor to represent our state, school, and community on the Miss America stage,” she said. “To me this experience is more than just being Delaware — it’s carrying a piece of every Delawarean who ever believed in me on that stage with me, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.”

From blueprints to the Blue Hen community

Mack’s passion for engineering began with a single high school class with a class on civil engineering and architecture.

“Prior to this course I had always aspired to work for NASA as either an aerospace engineer or someone in mission control,” she said. “However, I quickly fell in love with civil engineering.”

Around the same time, her family was remodeling their home from the ground up. 

“Everything I was learning I watched carry over into the creation of our own home,” she said.

Her interest deepened during a class project inspired by Habitat for Humanity: designing a home from scratch that met both building codes and community guidelines.

“The entire project taught us so much about the process, from hand-surveying land, establishing setbacks, and modeling the home itself in Revit,” she explained, referring to the building design and documentation software by Autodesk. “The final portfolio had every specification, sketch and rendering of the home. That was the moment I knew I wanted to build things that make a difference in people’s lives.”

At UD, that spark has only grown. 

“My love for civil engineering has only grown, thanks to the incredibly supportive staff and faculty who share a passion for engineering,” she said.

Spinning into the spotlight 

Mack’s talent performance at the Miss Delaware competition reflected another important aspect of her life: the arts. She performed a color guard routine to “Uccen” by the Taalbi Brothers, a high-energy piece that recalled her high school marching band days.

“On a whim, I decided to give color guard a try and fell in love with it,” she said. “A year later, I served as co-captain and eventually captain of the team. Being in color guard provided me with so many opportunities and experiences, and choosing ‘Uccen’ allowed me to share a piece of that on the Miss Delaware stage.”

The routine showcased the creativity and discipline she brings to everything she does, from engineering to community service.

Miss America values, Blue Hen goals

The Miss America competition emphasizes scholarship, talent and leadership, qualities that Mack says shape her daily life as both a student and as Miss Delaware.

“As a UD student, scholarship plays a part in my day to day as I pursue my studies and share this knowledge with others,” she said. “Talent is extremely important to me as I not only advocate for arts education, but I use the arts as a way of expression, whether I’m practicing a routine, playing my ukulele, or singing. And as a leader, I use my platform to inspire and uplift others as a mentor and advocate.”

She hopes to represent both the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization and UD throughout her reign. “My goal is to attend as many university events as possible and bridge the Miss Delaware Organization and the University,” Mack said. “I’m super excited to attend UD football games and events as Miss Delaware and hope to be serving as Miss Delaware on campus as much as possible.”

As she prepares to step onto the Miss America stage this fall, Mack’s thoughts return to the young women who may be watching.

“When I step onto that stage, I want every young woman watching to feel like they can accomplish anything they put their minds to. Whether it’s becoming a doctor, engineer, artist, or musician, every girl deserves to feel supported and empowered to chase their dreams,” she said. “My largest goal is to become the role model and mentor that I always felt I was lacking, for young girls across the state and country.”

About the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization

The Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization has a long legacy of Blue Hens who have held the title of Miss Delaware, representing scholarship, service and leadership on both state and national stages. Mack will continue that tradition as she competes for the title of Miss America Sept. 2-7, 2025.