It was the day Kay Pauszek had been waiting for.
On June 11, 2005, Kay Pauszek was selected from 19 talented women to be crowned Miss Iowa, a title she has always dreamed of holding. Pauszek won the title while representing Muscatine. She was also Miss Scott County 2003 and third runner up in the 2004 Miss Iowa Competition.
Pauszek graduated in May 2005 with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication with an interest in arts and entertain- ment. While at The University of Iowa she was a metro reporter for The Daily Iowan and a freelance reporter for The Quad City Times. Pauszek also produced, edited and wrote her own video packages that aired on Cable Channel 18 in Iowa City for UI News.
As Miss Iowa, Pauszek has a full schedule. It is her responsibility to always represent Iowa in a positive manner and serve as an ambassador throughout the state. Pauszek was also able to help at the dedication of the Philip D. Adler
Journalism and Mass Communication Building.
After losing her grandfather to diabetic complications Pauszek has devoted her year as Miss Iowa to promote Diabetes Awareness: Preventing the Onset of Type II Diabetes. She is the chairperson for the School Walk for Diabetes Task Force in the Quad City market. Her journalism skills come in handy as her duties often call for her to make phone calls, send lots of emails, set up appointments do lots of research and there’s always an opportunity for public
speaking.
In January, Pauszek will fly to Nashville to compete in the Miss America competition, the world's largest scholarship foundation for women. At the Miss America competition, Pauszek will have a 12 minute interview covering international, national and state issues, current events and own platform issue (diabetes awareness). The contestants also compete in physical fitness, casual wear, evening gown, on-stage questions and talent. Pauszek’s talent is Irish Step dancing, forcing her to stay in tip-top shape.
To Pauszek’s advantage, the competition was recently moved from September in Atlantic City to January in Nashville. This gives Pauszek more time to prepare and a better chance at balancing both her appearances and her preparation time.
In October, Pauszek flew to CMT: Country Music Television studios to start filming for the January competition. When CMT took over the competition they added an entertainment value, which will include a promotional segment featuring all of the contestants’ unique talents and accomplishments.
Not a day goes by when this J-MC alumna isn’t using the skills she gained at The University of Iowa. But for Pauszek, years of preparation will all come into focus for just one day in Nashville; the day Pauszek represents Iowa as she competes for the title and crown of Miss America.
