Unless its for an exchange outfit, not many collegiettes can say they own a crown. But Brittany Albrecht, a freshman in biology, is the exception to this. Besides being a member of Alpha Chi Omega and participating in Illinithon this April, Brittany is the 2015 crowned Miss Southern Sweetheart. While classes and sorority obligations are important, her biggest goal right now is preparing for (and hopefully winning) the Miss Illinois Pageant this June.
Her Campus: When did you first start competing in pageants and why did you choose to get involved in them?
Brittany Albrecht: The first pageant I participated in was Miss Illinois Teen USA 2014. It was held in November 2013 in Chicago. I chose to get involved with pageants because ever since I was a little girl, I’ve watched Miss America and Miss USA with my family and admired the great role models those women were to me. I decided that I would like to challenge myself and possibly become a role model for girls like me.
HC: How did it feel to be crowned Miss Southern Sweetheart 2015?
BA: It was surreal. I really could not believe it! Miss Southern Sweetheart was my first preliminary pageant ever for Miss Illinois. Most people do not win their first preliminary pageant, so I was looking at it as a great experience that would give me the opportunity to learn and improve. It was a total shock when I won and I was on cloud nine for the rest of the night!
HC: Why did you choose to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospital over another charity?
BA: The charity of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) is the Miss America Organization’s national platform. As a local contestant, you are asked to raise $100 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to compete in each preliminary pageant. Now that I’m going to state, I need to raise $250 more. Most women involved in the Miss America Organization (MAO) do not stop at those minimum requirements, so my goal is to raise at least $500. I’ve also been raising money for CMNH through the Illinithon.
HC: Why did you choose the platform, “Art and Music Education: The ‘Key’ to Academic Success?” What impact have the arts had on your life?
BA: My platform is of great meaning to me because the arts have always been a huge part of my life. Over the past decade, there have been numerous budget cuts in schools, and fine and applied arts programs are the first to be cut. Although the arts are often looked upon as mere extracurricular activities, they should be treated as quite the opposite. The only known way to stimulate all of human intelligences is through the arts. Playing, reading, and singing music require the use of both sides of your brain. This simultaneous use is a true workout for the brain.Applied arts like drawing, painting, and ceramics are also imperative for brain development and abstract thinking.
After hearing all of these incredible facts about improved brain functioning in correlation with the arts, why would we ever cut funding of these programs? One of my goals is to spread the word about the wonderful benefits of art and music education to students in areas where funding has been cut.
HC: You are on the road to Miss Illinois, how are you preparing for the pageant?
BA: There are many components of preparing for a state level pageant. The areas of competition for Miss Illinois are Private Interview, Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit, Evening Wear, Talent and On-Stage Question. In addition, every contestant must have a platform. To prepare for the interview, I have been promoting my platform in the Champaign-Urbana and Barrington areas. For interview, the main areas of focus are being poised and confident in your answers and being knowledgeable of who you are, your platform and the world around you. For swimsuit, I have been going to personal training sessions with my friend and NPC bikini competitor. I’ve also been taking fitness classes at the ARC and watching my diet. For evening gown, I recently bought a new gown for state and I’ve been working on my walk. I’m taking voice lessons and preparing my selection “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady for my talent. Preparing for the on-stage question is similar to preparing for your private interview. The only difference is that you need to make sure you can answer your questions within the time limit. Preparing for Miss Illinois has been and will be even more work, but I know it is all going to be worth it.
HC: Where do you hope to be 10 years from now?
BA: I hope to be working as a medical doctor in a private practice and on staff at a few hospitals. I have no idea what kind of doctor I want to be, but time will tell. I also hope to be living in some place that is relatively warm and close to the water. It would be amazing if I was a “former” at that point, meaning I was crowned Miss Illinois or even Miss America. At a very basic level, I hope to be happy!
To support Brittany’s fundraising efforts, you can visit http://events.dancemarathon.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=33260 http://missamericaforkids.org/Donate/brittanyalbrecht.
Photos courtesy of Brittany Albrecht