Duke girls may be better-looking than critics give them credit for.
Senior Kristen Luneberg will travel to the national Miss USA pageant to represent the state of North Carolina, after winning the state pageant Saturday.
The 2003 Miss North Carolina USA pageant was held last weekend in High Point, N.C., drawing 40 participants between the ages of 18 and 26 from across the state. Luneberg--president of Delta Delta Delta sorority and acting chief executive officer for Devil's Delivery Service--is the first Duke student to be crowned Miss North Carolina, although female Duke students have competed in years past.
"What the judges really were struck by was [Luneberg's] intelligence and her ability to connect with the audience... Her leadership ability certainly came through loud and clear," said Nido Quebin, chairperson of the Miss North Carolina USA board. Luneberg's award package is estimated at $75,000.
"I don't have a southern accent, I'm not your typical southern belle," said Luneberg, former Miss Teen Rhode Island and 2nd runner up in the Miss Teen USA pageant. "I was just shocked because I've been planning on competing for a while and I have been working hard on getting in shape and preparing myself mentally for the interview," Luneberg said.
The Miss USA national pageants, and subsidiary state pageants, consist of a swim-suit competition, an evening gown competition and an interview. Each portion of the competition is weighted equally in determining the winner.
"Delegates participate in the pageant because they [want to] pursue scholastic funds as well as other aspirations for career developments," said Quebin. "She really shined throughout the weekend."
An ideal candidate is "well-rounded, attractive, [has a] nice figure and [a desire to] use her title for a cause," explained Paula Miles, executive director of the Miss North Carolina USA pageant. She added that the judges also look for a candidate's potential strength as a contender at the national competition.
"[Luneberg is] eager to go to work in the state of North Carolina as a representative," said Miles. "She has got some key issues that she wants to address this year and we are going to begin working on that immediately."
As Miss North Carolina, Luneberg plans to promote higher self-esteem among females, particularly youth. Her plans include setting up workshops in various schools to address female-targeted media pressures to succumb to unhealthy eating habits. "I have had several close friends that have had problems like [eating disorders] so it is definitely something I would like to be involved with," she said.
Luneburg-who also works as a mentor in the Durham Public School System-plans on being at Duke part-time next semester so she can devote more time to her duties as Miss North Carolina and train for the national competition, which will be held in late February or early March of next year, said Miles. "I will be busy--don't get me wrong--but it will definitely be manageable," said Luneberg.
Luneberg's first formal engagement as Miss North Carolina will be assisting at the Nov. 8-9 annual state-wide Special Olympics in Raleigh as well as an appearance at the closing ceremonies.
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