Miss Indiana advances to Vegas

She may be a California native, but junior Gabrielle Reed is ready to represent Indiana in the upcoming 2011 Miss America Pageant.

On Dec. 11, friends, family and local pageant officials gave Reed a send off party at the Indiana Memorial Union to offer support before her departure to Las Vegas on Jan. 6.

Reed, a vocal performance major in the Jacobs School of Music, began her pageant career in the discontinued Miss IU Pageant – which she won in 2008.

She was crowned Miss Indiana this June in Zionsville, Ind. after competing in her second Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant.

“I wasn’t one of those little girls that grew up wanting to be Miss America,” Reed said. “I went into Miss America program because I was looking for performance experience and the volunteer work. I wanted to do something bigger than myself.”

More than 12,000 young women compete each year in state and local pageant events, with that number narrowed down to the 52 that compete in the Miss America Pageant. The organizations also provide scholarship money for contestants, which Reed said played a large part in her involvement.

During her send off party, Reed sang, chatted with supporters and modeled the outfits she will wear in the Miss America competition. Reed was also presented a President’s Call to Service Award, given to U.S. citizens who complete 4,000 or more registered hours of volunteer service.

Reed, who’s pageant platform is “‘Empowerment from the Start’ Communities Preventing Domestic Violence,” was given the award for serving more than 4,000 hours at the local Middle Way House and other domestic violence prevention
organizations.

“What I love about Gabrielle is that she knows who she is as a person, and that shines through every phase of competition — from her talent, to her interview, and even in her evening gown,” said Aren Straiger, Miss Indiana co-executive director. “The simple elegance that Gabrielle has, it’s a wonderful characteristic. It makes her a wonderful Miss Indiana.”

To fulfill her role as Miss Indiana — which has included volunteer work, event appearances and more — Reed took this academic year off from IU.

“The decision was up to me. They don’t require it,” Reed said. “I  wanted to give my entire self to the job because it’s the only time you get to do something like this. I didn’t want to sacrifice my education. It made sense.”

And that education, both Reed and Straiger said, is what has helped build a talented pool of Miss Indianas and Miss Americas that hail from IU and Indiana. Reed’s predecessor  — Miss Indiana 2009 Nicole Pollard — graduated from the Jacobs School of Music with a bachelor of music education. Pollard went on to the top 15 at the Miss America Pageant.

“You have to attribute the Jacobs School of Music,” Straiger said. “This year is the first time Miss America is having a parade in Las Vegas, and we’re supposed to use a state theme. What Gabrielle thought would be great would be if we did a tribute to the school of music, so her theme is opera. And that’s something she believes in. We want to say thanks to the Jacobs School.”