Jessie is a graduate student majoring in strategy communication at AU’s School of Communication. Starting this spring semester, she is the marketing and communication intern for Miss DC Teen USA. And believe me, Jessie’s beauty and confidence can make her the Miss Teen DC. The story about Jessie is not just that she interns for a beauty pageant, but the way she unfolds her coming future with the clear thoughts of what she is really passion about. I hope she can inspire you just as much as she inspired me.
Her Campus American: Tell us about how you became as an intern for the Miss DC Teen USA.
Jessie Nichols: My best friend Kamie Crawford was Teen USA 2010, so that was really cool. Her mom was the Executive State Director for Miss DC USA. And I love marketing, I love pageants, I love beautiful women and just promoting a positive image for women. So I asked can I get involved, and she was like yeah, so now I do their social media like Facebook and Twitter. I go with them to events, I get to help them get on camera, get the pictures, make sure they are marketing themselves well. I wish I was one of them, but because I’m a staff member, I can’t be in the competition.
HCAU: Working for a beauty pageant must be fun, tell us something fun about it!
JN: We are going to the polar plunge, which is where they go into the cold water in their swim suits. I’m really excited to see because it’s freezing outside. There is also a fashion week in DC the girls are going to. And I’ll go to a luncheon for Black History Month. That’s going to be really fun. It is a great networking opportunity.
Jessie is with Miss DC USA Ciera Nicole Butts and Miss DC Teen USA Dominick Fink. They were at the NBC4 Health & Fitness EXPO
HCAU: Does the contestant who looks the best always win? What is the real situation?
JN: Well, people do see a lot of…only the appearences of these girls. Like “oh this girl is so beautiful,” but what they don’t know is how involved they are on their campuses and in their communities and how intelligent these girls really are. You do have those who only rely on their beauty but our winners are fully balance with everything.
We didn’t have many girls from AU last year and I was so surprised because as I walk around campus I’m like, these girls are gorgeous and they are so intelligent as well. They have so much talent that I really think we should showcase that.
HCAU: Tell us about what to do if we want to participate. I’m sure a lot of AU girls are thinking about sending their applications now.
JN: We are actually recruiting now. It’s not difficult, all they do is go to the website and fill out the application, send in your photos, and we will call you back for a phone interview. And after that it’s either “yes” or “no” for you to continue. And you start preparing. Then you come to competition weekend and pageant weekend, that’s where the real stuff starts happening. We will get you training right away, you are put on a workout regime as well as eating regime just so you are in your best condition. We want to make sure that you are at your healthiest. You get numerous scholarships. But what really we are trying to do is get them ready for the national competition, which is this summer, so our Miss Teen DC will be going to Bahamas to compete.
HCAU: Besides working for the Miss DC Teen USA, are there any other things you are doing right now?
JN: Starting this week I am working with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. I’m helping them with the campaign for the “City in Bloom” which is when you go around DC you will see all these buildings lit up in pink lights.
HCAU: How do you find all these opportunities that you like? Can you give us some suggestions when it comes to finding the right internship?
JN: I just looked around, and I love AU’s career website. That has helped me so much. And just talking to people and just going up and asking questions. But I’m having hard time with things too. Because I love PR, but I find a lot of things that I get to do are more toward marketing which is part of it, but it’s not really up my alley. About suggestions, I say just to believe in yourself! Know what you can bring to the table and make sure that’s your strength. Don’t promote what you are not good at or the negative, always promote the things that you can do and use that to your best of ability. And just go for it.
Follow Jessie on Instagram: @j_khol
Photo Credits:
Via Facebook