Palmer woman off to Miss USA pageant

PALMER — Jessica Nolin, reigning Miss Alaska USA, is more than just a pretty face.

With a double major in political science and engineering and an aviation minor, the junior at UAA entered the 2009 pageant hoping to win the four-year scholarship offered as top prize. Now, she is packing her bags for Las Vegas and the Miss USA pageant airing April 19.

Nolin, 22, graduated from Palmer High School where she was a member of the cheerleading squad, dance team, student board, yearbook and Future Farmers of America. She attended UAF for the first two years of college studying political science and added an engineering second major. She transferred to UAA to pick up an aviation minor.

“I operate best under a hectic schedule,” said Nolin. “It forces me to be more organized and practice good time management.”After she won the Miss Alaska USA crown in November, her schedule only became busier. With the title comes several charity events and 20 hours of practice each week. Raising awareness for breast and ovarian cancer is the Miss USA platform, and Nolin has also traveled the state to end domestic violence and raise money for school lunch programs.

“I love raising money for charities, but working with children is the most rewarding,” said Nolin. “Miss Teen Alaska USA (Zlata Sushchik) and I have toured schools all around Alaska giving talks about the power of positive thinking and goal setting. … We want to show kids there is no one road to success. You can be successful doing many different things.”

Nolin leaves for Las Vegas today, but she knows this trip will be anything but a vacation. She has heard from previous contestants that the days start at 5 a.m. and do not end until midnight. Throughout it all, she is expected to look beautiful and put together, she said.

After all the interviews and publicity stunts are over, the preliminary competition begins April 13. The contestants are judged on swimwear, evening gowns and two interviews. The interviews gauge the contest’s personality and knowledge of economic and political affairs. In addition, there are judges posing as waiters, bodyguards and other support staff.

Miss USA has a hectic schedule, said Nolin. “She is expected to be a role model both onstage and off.”

The contestant who wins lives a surreal life for a year. After the live ceremony on April 19 when she is chosen from the final 15, she moves to a New York apartment in Trump Tower with Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe. She is only there for a total of about two months, said Nolin, as most of her time is spent raising money for cancer research and preparing for the Miss Universe pageant.

Nolin feels confident about her chances. She has worked hard and spent plenty of time working on her interview skills, her hair and make-up and her swimsuit and evening gown walk. But with an extremely subjective judging system, she knows it’s anybody’s pageant to win.

If she was Alaska’s first Miss USA?

“I would be excited for the opportunity,” Nolin said. “I know the life as Miss USA is very challenging, but I think there is enough support in place. Besides, you get opportunities to do things and meet people you never would otherwise.”

DETAILS

The Miss USA pageant will air April 19 on NBC from 6 to 8 p.m.