The Virginia Informer

Last Updated:12/8/09 Section: Features

For Samantha Casey ('10), Thanksgiving break will be particularly relaxing. She'll be with her family and friends and get a break from her studies, but she will also be relieved to finally know if she is the winner of the Miss Virginia USA 2010 pageant.

The William and Mary senior has been in constant motion preparing for her most recent competition, the Miss Virginia USA 2010 pageant. In addition to the studying she does for her courses, she is in the gym three hours a day, working with designers for her dress and bathing suit, and acting as spokesperson for Love 146, a group dedicated to preventing child sex trafficking.

Ms. Casey decided to take a semester off this year to participate in the pageant, her first since her Miss Virginia Teen USA title in 2006. She chose to compete after being approached by Love 146. As a spokesperson for the organization, she recognizes that the pageant can benefit her platform and spread the word about child sex trafficking to an audience of six million.

In addition to supporting Love 146, Ms. Casey feels it's the right time in her life to participate. "Most of the girls are 20 or 21 for Miss USA; it's the right age."

Ms. Casey has been in pageants since she was 15 years old. A coworker of her father approached him about getting Ms. Casey involved in beauty pageants. At the time, the double varsity athlete was not keen on the idea. "I was a tomboy in high school," Ms. Casey claims, "but I saw how involved the other girls were in the competition and the dedication it takes to do these pageants."

The contestant has always focused on academics and appreciated her William and Mary education. She has even turned down offers from top modeling agencies such as Ford in New York City in order to work towards her college degree.

Ms. Casey's attachment to the College makes the semester off a little more difficult. She misses William and Mary's atmosphere of scholarship, as well as her friends and professors. But even now that she is away, the College still shows its sense of community and support. As Ms. Casey said, "I have professors e-mailing me, wishing me good luck and asking me when they can see the pageant."

Ms. Casey's focus and hard work have helped her perform well, both in pageants and in the real world. Her favorite event, the interview portion, has challenged her mentally and forced her to be more self-confident. "When you're answering questions in a bikini in front of six million people, you have to believe in yourself," she explains.

Her preparation for the interview has rendered itself useful in her job interviews as well. Already preparing for life after graduation, Ms. Casey spends her summers working in Seattle with real estate developers. Sometimes she would find herself interviewing for jobs against more experienced, older business executives. In those situations, Ms. Casey knows, "how to express myself intelligently and professionally and how to hold my own."

After the pageant on November 20-21, Ms. Casey is not quite sure what she'll be doing. If she wins Miss Virginia USA, "I will take another semester away from the College, but still keep up my courses," and begin preparations for Miss USA in April.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools