Meet Lauren Harvey, a junior who takes the name as Miss Morgantown and helps contribute to the city in great ways through her title.
What made your start wanting to compete in pageants?
When I was in middle school, an older girl/ mentor to me asked me to be her monarch miss for the miss West Virginia scholarship organization and once I took part in that program I was hooked and one day wanted to run for miss West Virginia myself. Side note. The monarch miss program is where they take in younger girls and allow them to be a part of the pageant and meet all the women competing and spend the week mentoring with them. I also have always loved performing, and have danced since I was 3 and that allows me to continue doing so while in college.
What had your experience been like so far as Miss Morgantown?
So my time is almost up! I was crowned in December last year, and received so many great prizes to prepare me for the state competition. From a sponsorship to pro performance, to mock interviews, the Miss Morgantown team really helped me feel so confident and at ease for the state competition. Throughout the year I took it upon myself, and visited each primary school in Monongalia County at least once to promote my personal platform of saving the arts. I also worked closely with stepping stones in Morgantown with their arts festival and hosting art days at their facility. One other thing that I accomplished while Miss Morgantown was host a daddy daughter dance with my teen queen, raising over 3,000 dollars for children’s miracle network hospitals. Now, I will crown a new queen and she will be able to vie for the title of miss West Virginia in June.
What is your favorite and least favorite qualities and aspects during pageants when you’re competing?
Something that is great about the Miss West Virginia Scholarship Organization is that the girls truly form a sisterhood. I mean, I don’t know a lot of girls that would openly tell their competitors how their preparations are going and help them along the way, and here that seems to be the case. I used to not like swimsuit, but I have grown to because it shows your confidence most in order to do the job, and ability to endure. It also makes you prove yourself wrong and be in the best shape possible, that most of the time you didn’t even know was possible. My absolute favorite part is gown. Not every girl in their twenties gets to grace the Miss America stage, and that dream stems from each contestant in evening gown. It shows their grace poise and personal style and it’s an amazing feeling!
What is your major and what are you involved in on campus?
I’m a strategic communications major with an emphasis in PR and my minor is arts administration. I’m a reed college of media ambassador, and throughout college I’ve been on the WVU dance team, PRSA, and had an internship at the alumni center.
Do you have any advice for girls who would like to get started in pageants?
The best advice I’ve ever received was to not compare myself to the competition so I would tell girls that and to always stay true to who they are so that when they are on stage their own personal character shines through.