Syracuse University is world renowned for producing everything from respected journalists like Bob Costas to famous actors like Taye Diggs. But now it has another title to add to its grandiose list: graduated royalty.

Or to be more specific, beauty queens.

Miss New Hampshire, also known as Audra Paquette, graduated from SU in 2004 with a degree in speech communications and rhetorical studies. She recently represented her state in the Miss America Pageant on Jan. 21 in Las Vegas, and has already begun her yearlong term in office, a job that is a full-time endeavor.

‘Miss New Hampshire can never have a bad day,’ Paquette said. ‘You get recognized at the gas station, at the mall. You always have to be on.’

Paquette transferred into SU her junior year, after completing her first two years at the University of New Hampshire. While at Syracuse, she did things that a ‘normal’ student would do around campus. She went to class, danced on the dance team and hung out with friends. Paquette would skip class if it was too cold outside and often didn’t start her homework until about 4 a.m. But on the weekends, Paquette did something unique. She competed for the title of Miss New Hampshire.

‘I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for college, but when I decided to go to the University of New Hampshire I didn’t have enough money to pay for it,’ Paquette said. In New Hampshire the largest sponsor of scholarships for women is the Miss America Corporation. By competing in five competitions from 1999 to 2004, Paquette earned a total of $60,000 to pay for her education.

Paquette said she never expected to pay for college through pageants.

‘In high school, I was very shy. I always had big dorky glasses. I didn’t come from a family with a lot of money, so I never had trendy clothes. I never really felt like I fit in,’ Paquette said. ‘But I’m a dancer, and I just looked at it as a way to perform … it happened to be something I did really well. And once the money kept flowing in, there was no excuse not to keep going.’

Competing in pageants helped Paquette discover her passion for public speaking, leading her to SU because of the university’s prominent program. She describes Dr. Amos Kiewe, chair of the communication and rhetorical studies department, as her most influential professor.

‘I always felt she was with me in (political communication). Some students, you can tell they’re not really there, their hearts aren’t in the course,’ Kiewe said. ‘I can’t say that I always remember students, but I remember her.’

Paquette shared a house on Comstock Avenue with another girl and five boys. She said it was a great location, even though her car was broken into and her tires slashed. She was also a prominent member of the SU dance team.

‘I had a great time with dance,’ Paquette said. ‘It kept me on track. I didn’t have time to goof around.’

Most of the girls Paquette became friends with during her two years at SU were also on the team. Jenny Mitzner, a senior elementary education and sociology major, tried out for the dance team her freshman year, when Paquette was a junior.

‘When we first got on the team, we were both alternates,’ Mitzner said. She and Paquette would meet before and after practices to work together to improve. ‘We wanted to prove how badly we wanted to be on the team.’

But it wasn’t all work and no play. ‘Audra and I would get together and we would practice, but we’d always end up laughing and we’d always have a good time,’ Mitzner said.

Becky Hellerstein, a senior nutrition major, would often practice alongside Paquette and Mitzner.

‘(Paquette) was a great girl,’ Hellerstein said. ‘She was very involved and a great addition to the team. She had a really positive energy and did a lot for the community.’

In addition to classes and the dance team, Paquette spent time preparing for the pageants she competed in. On some weekends she would drive six hours back to New Hampshire for rehearsals or events.

‘It was difficult at times to balance my school life with my pageant life,’ Paquette said. ‘At times all I wanted to do was be a ‘normal’ college student, but in the back of my mind, I knew the only reason why I was able to attend Syracuse was because of the scholarships I was earning through pageants.’

Paquette remembers the members of the dance team being very supportive of her while she competed.

‘They were really surprised when I told them how I paid for college. The majority of people didn’t know that I had been competing in pageants. It was not something I broadcasted,’ Paquette said. ‘But they were incredibly excited that they knew someone who was involved in pageants.’ According to Paquette, the girls on the dance team even nicknamed her ‘Miss America.’

In 2003, Paquette decided to compete for Miss Finger Lakes, a preliminary competition for Miss New York.

‘Half the dance team went and watched her compete,’ Mitzner said. ‘It was nice to see all the hard work she put into it pay off.’

‘I had never met anyone who did that before, and I gained a new respect for it,’ Hellerstein said. ‘Her main purpose of doing it was for money so she could go to school, which I had a lot of respect for. It wasn’t just her smiling and looking pretty.’

Finally, in the last year she was eligible to compete – contestants are required to be below 24 years old – Paquette was crowned Miss New Hampshire in 2005. She will travel the state and speak at schools, corporate events and in different community events. Paquette will also represent a program run by the Miss America Corporation, ‘Right Decision, Right Now,’ which works to promote non-smoking programs for middle schools. In addition, Paquette is the state spokesperson for the American Heart Association and a community advocate, describing herself as ‘a voice for anybody who needs it.’

After her term is up, Paquette plans to apply for a job in corporate communications or public relations. She said she thinks the title prepares her in a way that no other previous experience would.

‘Not anybody can just apply for it. It’s a unique experience that I get to be a part of for a year,’ Paquette said.

Above all, Paquette hopes that during her term as Miss New Hampshire she is able to dispel the stereotype of what being a pageant contestant is all about.

‘I want to encourage at least one more girl to compete because I know what I got out of the program. I won $60,000, and it’s paid for my education, which lots of people aren’t aware of,’ Paquette said. ‘It’s a way for women to fund their education. It’s not just going out there in a swimsuit and waving at people. I really wanted to use myself as an example for what young women can accomplish.’

Although in this year’s Miss America Pageant, Paquette didn’t get named in the top 10, she didn’t walk away disappointed.

‘It was an honor to compete for Miss America. I feel I prepared as best as I could and felt confident I was there representing my state to the best of my ability. I know that I will stay in touch with most of the contestants. We all came home with great friendships and experiences. I also came home with $3,000, so it really was a win-win situation.’

Paquette remembers her time at SU fondly and feels she learned lessons she will never forget. ‘During the opening number when we introduced ourselves, I was proud to say I was a graduate of Syracuse University.’

Published on February 6, 2006 at 12:00 pm