While many college students across the country have spent their summer working, interning, taking classes or just enjoying some relaxation and sunshine, one Milwaukee student has had a truly unique and unforgettable break. Rosalie Smith, a Waukesha, Wis. native and sophomore on the Panther Dance Team, was crowned Miss Wisconsin on June 20 and will compete for the title of Miss America in September.
 
"Having been Miss Wisconsin for only a few weeks now, my life has already changed immensely," Smith said. "I still wake up every morning shocked to see the Miss Wisconsin crown and sash in my room, along with the new trophies I now have on my nightstand. I'm not sure if that shock will ever really wear off, but I do know that this experience has been and will continue to be life-changing."
 
Smith, who plans to major in nursing, was introduced to the Miss America program when the directors of the Miss New Berlin pageant were looking for one more contestant in order to meet the minimum of five contestants.
 
"At first I was a little hesitant because I didn't understand what a pageant would entail, but after meeting with the directors, I realized this was my chance to finally make a difference in the community through my brother Colin's story, which I had always wanted to do," Smith said.
 
Heading into the Miss Wisconsin pageant, Smith's platform was titled "Centered on Loving in Need," an acronym for her late brother's name. But, after winning the Miss Wisconsin title, she decided to rename it "Colin's Crusade: Breaking the Barriers of Addiction."
 
"I chose this platform based off the sudden death of my brother who battled an addiction to alcohol for years," Smith said. "My platform is about spreading his story in order to speak to adults and children at schools and in other environments to provide them with a face, not just a statistic, of someone who was affected by an addiction to alcohol. I also believe the perception and stigma attached to addiction silences many families. If society correctly understood addiction and was more open to discussion, we could get help for these victims much sooner."
 
Pageants in the Miss America program consist of five different categories: private interview (25%), lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit (15%), talent (35%), evening wear (20%) and on-stage question (5%).
 
After being crowned Miss New Berlin on May 24, Smith would go on to earn the title of Miss Wisconsin on June 20 by winning the pageant held in Oshkosh. Despite never having competed in a pageant, prior to the Miss Berlin competition Smith said she felt right at home on stage thanks to her experience as a competitive dancer.
 
But although being on stage came naturally to Smith, it didn't mean the competition wasn't without lighter moments. In fact, the night she won the talent preliminary award, Smith fell during the closing number for all to see.
 
"Knowing I'm a dancer, some people thought I was doing a dance move, but that wasn't the case at all," Smith said. "I was laughing so hard at what had happened that I actually began to cry on stage. That is one moment I will never forget."
 
That minor mishap provided some levity for Smith during the competition and was just one of countless moments the 19-year-old will carry with her for life.
 
"I met some of the most strong and beautiful women both inside and out through this experience, and I still keep in touch with some of them, especially those who also attend UWM," Smith said.
 
For now, Smith will set her sights on the Miss America pageant, which will be held in early September. The final night of the pageant will air on ABC on Sept. 13 and although this has been a remarkable summer for her, Smith will have to get used to one thing – being away from her Panther Dance teammates for a year.
 
"I had to step down from the team for a year and will miss my goofy and lovable team and watching them grow as a whole the way we did last year," Smith said. "Because of my strict schedule, I will also be taking online courses instead of the regular lectures I'm used to. But, now I find myself traveling to so many different parts of Wisconsin that I never knew existed, while meeting some of the sweetest people along the way. I can't wait to see what this year brings."