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Sarah French won a $3,000 scholarship and the Miss America
Smile Award. Fans voted for their favorite smile on CMT.com,
and the winner was announced live during the 2007 Miss America
pageant. Photo courtesy of Sarah French
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Mizzou
Student Competes
in Miss America
By Bridget Garwitz
MU junior broadcast
student Sarah French
epitomizes the definition of a go-getter. Last summer, she took
her shot at the Miss Missouri 2006 crown and won. In January she
represented the state in the Miss America pageant.
In addition to her duties as Miss Missouri,
French stays involved at Mizzou as a member of the Radio/Television
News Directors Association, Pi
Beta Phi sorority and captain of the Diamond Darlings. She
also was one of a handful of students accepted as a member of
the 2006 Homecoming Steering committee.
French says the lessons she has learned at
Mizzou help her every day as she traverses the state. Miss Missouri
must endure many rounds of mock interviews in preparation for
the national pageant. The poise and enthusiasm required of MU
broadcast journalism students is the same that is expected of
pageant contestants.
“I don’t think I’d be as
well-prepared for my [pageant] interviews had I not gone to the
J-school here,”French says.
Raised in Hot Springs, Ark., French now calls
Missouri home. While researching universities during high school,
she had a conversation with Sarah Zapp, BJ ’99, and an award-winning
journalist for CN8 in Boston, Mass. Zapp encouraged Sarah to look
into the Missouri School
of Journalism.
French and her parents visited the campus
in fall 2003, and she was sold. “I remember taking the tour
of KOMU-TV.
They let me sit in and watch them anchor, and I thought, ‘This
is for me.’ It was the only school I applied to.”
French poses in a pageant glamour shot. She says her broadcast
courses at Mizzou helped prepare her for a rigorous interview
schedule. Photo courtesy of Sarah French
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Once at MU, French brought her drive and passion
to her studies. “I’m in downtown Columbia with a huge,
heavy tripod, and I’m sweating, and I love it,”she
says.
French credits the journalism faculty for
fueling her passion. “Because of my teachers here at MU,
I have an upper hand over other pageant contestants because the
teachers are so amazing. They know how to push and encourage you.”
French was especially inspired by News Writing
2100, her first reporting class. During the class, Assistant Professor
Scott Swafford recognized her talent, saying “[Broadcasting]
seems to come very naturally to her. She does outstanding work.”
Outstanding work is part of French’s
daily routine. As Miss Missouri, she speaks to middle schools
around the state as part of the Right Decisions, Right Now program.
Her speeches discourage students from drinking and driving.
In addition to motivational speaking, French
is promoting her platform: Health and Fitness for Life. As the
daughter and granddaughter of women with type 2 diabetes, Sarah
has a personal interest in helping others stay healthy. On her
Web site, she addresses the need to limit children's TV viewing
and to encourage more outside play time.
“I feel honored to be at this school,”
French says. After completing her journalism degree, she hopes to
work as a broadcaster on national television.
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Last Update:
July 2, 2009
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