Nina Davuluri was one of over 14,000 young women to vie for the coveted title of Miss America 2014 and its $50,000 scholarship award. In September of 2013, Nina, a University of Michigan graduate, gained international acclaim by becoming the first contestant of Indian descent to win the Miss America Competition representing the state of New York.
Over the course of the Nina’s year of service as Miss America, she logged approximately 250,000 miles traveling across the country to address an array of audiences on her platform: “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency.” As part of her consciousness-raising efforts on behalf of diversity, Nina also launched a social media campaign, Circles of Unity to encourage constructive and civil dialogue on diversity issues. Through her social media channels, Nina asks people to share “representative thoughts and stories about their experiences on how we as a nation can advance cultural awareness.”
During her year, she also served as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the national platform partner of the Miss America Organization, and continues to advocate for STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Follow Nina on Twitter and check out her website. Enjoy the episode here or below.
