When many people think of beauty pageants, they might picture Olive Hoover shaking it to “Super Freak” in “Little Miss Sunshine” or TLC’s “Toddlers & Tiaras” reality show. MU alumna Rebecca Dunn knows that these representations couldn’t be further from the truth.
Dunn, who was crowned Miss Missouri USA 2015 on Nov. 9, first became active in pageantry last year after some friends recommended that she participate.
Dunn founded the mentorship organization Mizzou For You that year and saw pageants as an opportunity to advocate for her program. She also hoped to bring attention to Mizzou for Malawi, an orphan advocacy group.
Christine Dunn, Rebecca’s mother, said, “(Rebecca) has always loved working with special needs kids.”
Christine Dunn said Rebecca would come home from college and spend time with special needs high school students during the summer. She realized that the students did not have a lot of opportunities after graduating.
After talking to the university and different city organizations, Mizzou For You was founded in 2013 to help special needs students gain independence and provide a space for social interaction.
Rebecca Dunn did not win Miss Missouri USA last year, but the experience she had prompted her to re-enter this year. As Miss Missouri USA, she will represent the state in the Miss USA 2015 competition Jan. 25.
“I was surrounded by incredible women who really do want to make a difference to the world, and being around those types of people is an uplifting experience,” Dunn said. “They’re fearless. They’re absolutely fearless women, and it’s just inspiring.”
Dunn said being involved with pageants has given her many outreach opportunities. She has already been contacted by organizations to speak about her causes as well as represent others’ causes.
Junior Meredith Harrison, the current director of Mizzou For You, said the organization gives college students a chance to mentor a special needs student to help them achieve their goals and gain independence. She said she believes the leadership roles Dunn took on while she was at MU helped make her an effective communicator and leader.
Christine Dunn said the university had a great impact on her daughter and that her leadership roles and sorority involvement helped her become a polished presenter, an important skill in pageantry.
Rebecca Dunn also cited Newsy, where she currently works, as an organization that has positively influenced her.
“I felt prepared for the interview portion of the competition, and I give all my credit to Newsy,” she said. “We are constantly reporting the bigger picture and looking at the news from a different angle. That helped me answer questions more fluently and prepared me for those hard on-stage questions.”
While Rebecca Dunn is uncertain what doors competing at the national level will open for her, she is eager to continue her outreach and advocating for the social causes that are close to her heart.
“It’s such a special time,” Christine Dunn said. “I know she’s very excited to be able to give back and use this to help the kids with Mizzou for You and Mizzou for Malawi also, and I’m excited for her.”