After a dance competition in her junior year of high school, Gillian Johnston received a message in 2022 from the director of the Miss Rhode Island Organization, recruiting her to compete for the teen division of the state title.
At first, Johnston was unsure if she wanted to participate because she had been competing in dance competitions since she was 6 years old; however, she was persuaded to register at the last minute. Johnston won the competition that year without any prior pageantry experience, earning her the title of Miss Rhode Island’s Outstanding Teen and a full-ride presidential scholarship at The University of Alabama.
The Miss America’s Foundation partners with The University of Alabama to provide full-ride scholarships to Miss America’s Teen state title holders. They award scholarships to eligible young women committed to academics, leadership and service to promote excellence within the student body and institution.
Johnston, a senior dance major, said the only reason she has the opportunity to study at an out-of-state college is due to the scholarships the Miss America Foundation has been able to grant her.
“If it weren’t for the scholarship money, I would have gone to a community college in Rhode Island pursuing a degree that I don’t want,” Johnston said. “I knew I wanted a dance degree, and I think that just showing up in the pageantry industry is so rewarding.”
The Miss America’s Teen Organization has strong ties to The University of Alabama, offering dozens of reigning and former title holders presidential scholarships every year. The networking built into pageantry allows girls to form connections before setting foot onto campus.
Caty Jewell, a sophomore human development major, won Miss Apple Blossom’s Teen 2024 and Miss Spotsylvania’s Teen 2025. She said a major pull to attending UA was from watching Miss Virginia’s Teen 2024 winner, Cassidy Lee, who documented her experience at Alabama on social media. Through their connection, Lee was able to give Jewell a personal tour of the campus, strengthening her decision to come to Alabama.
“I toured with my mom after, and another title holder was my Capstone woman, who gave me the tour of the campus,” Jewell said. “It is that little bond that I felt that made the campus so personable and helped me fall even more in love.”
The Miss America’s Teen Competition is divided into five categories: private interview, talent, evening wear, on-stage questions and fitness. Some participants prepare for months, practicing mock interviews and perfecting their walks in mirrors.
Maggie Leach, a recent Master of Arts in journalism and media studies graduate, is the current Miss Burlington and will compete for the title of Miss Iowa, which runs from June 11-13. Leach said her favorite part about competing in pageants is the preparation.
“The prep has been so amazing this year. I really wanted to make a better commitment to taking care of my health, and consistency was something I really struggled with in the past,” Leach said. “I launched a cooking series called ‘Cook with Maggie,’ where I cooked my way through the American Heart Association’s Cookbook.”
Leach said that there is a misconception that it is a loss when you do not win in competition after putting in so much preparation. She thinks that the professional development skills from pageantry can be applied to future job interviews, public speaking gigs and serving the community.
“The women that I have met at UA dedicate themselves to hours upon hours of service every single week, and I think that shows that women who compete in pageants, we’re not a monolith, but we’re multifaceted people with so many talents,” Leach said.
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