IU freshman to compete in Miss Indiana USA pageant next month

If the Halloween costumes that fill stores this month are any indication of what a little girl aspires to be, anything with a tiara is at the top of the list. \nDreams of being crowned were carried into adulthood for freshman Sarah Brand, who was selected to join contestants from around the state to compete for the title of Miss Indiana USA from Nov. 12 to 14.\n"Every girl wants to have a crown," Brand said.\nWhen she was a senior at Greenwood High School in Greenwood, Ind., last year, Brand was looking for scholarships online and came across the Miss Indiana USA pageant. Brand, who had never held any pageant titles but was her high school's reining homecoming and prom queen, decided to give the pageant circuit a try.\n"I thought I'd just sign up and see what happens," Brand said.\nAfter a three-month selection process that included applications and interviews, Brand was chosen for the competition.\nWhen she first received the letter saying she had been selected to be a contestant, Brand said her mother's reaction was almost as excited as her own.\n"She was like, 'Wow, I wish I could have done something like that,'" Brand said.\nBecause she was new to pageants, Brand met with Michele Shannon, the 2001 Mrs. Indiana USA and pageant consultant, to help her prepare for the process.\n"I don't think people realize how much it takes to win a title," Shannon said. "There is literally a whole culture surrounding pageants."\nDuring an intensive six-hour session, Brand and Shannon discussed a variety of pageant particulars, including pageant applications, wardrobe and what Shannon considers most important: the interview.\n"The judges weigh it more than anything else," Shannon said. "It's really a chance for (the contestants) to show a part of themselves."\nJunior Tara Price, who holds three titles and was a finalist in the 2003 Miss Indiana USA competition, competed in pageants when she was little and began competing again when she turned 16.\n"The No. 1 rule is to always be yourself," Price said. "Judges can see a genuine person, and they will remember you more. Always smile."\nBrand said an emphasis on community service sets the Miss USA pageants apart from other pageants. Brand decided to focus her platform on eating disorder awareness and said if she wins, she hopes to travel to middle schools across the state to speak on the issue.\n"It's a way to influence a lot of people," Brand said. "People tend to listen to people with a title."\nShannon said support for contestants is important even during the pageant.\nBrand said even being new to pageantry, she hopes to be a strong contender for the title. \n"I was very impressed with Sarah," Shannon said. "The fact that her high school peers see her as royalty sets her apart."\n-- Contact senior writer Kathleen Quilligan at kquillig@indiana.edu.