Penn boys, get ready - this female Quaker is flaunting both her brains and her beauty.
Rachel Brooks, a master's student in the Fels School of Government and the 2007 Miss Pennsylvania, competed in the Miss America pageant last Saturday night.
Though Brooks did not make it to the top 10, she said the competition was "an awesome experience."
"It has given me the opportunity to travel all over the state," she said.
She added that the Miss America pageant is "a very strong advocate for community service." She was able to travel around the country to raise Autism awareness in honor of her younger brother, who has the disorder.
Although she took time off from Penn this year, Brooks said she plans to return in September 2008 to finish her master's program.
"I've learned a lot of things at Penn," Brooks said. "I learned how to effectively communicate my policy and package it in a way that will get people on board. I learned how to promote myself as the 'best candidate' for the job."
Brooks said she plans to spend the rest of the spring speaking at schools across Pennsylvania. A big part of her job, she said, is "encouraging [kids] to make good life decisions that will impact the rest of their lives."
However, after this year, Brooks plans to give up pageantry to pursue her education and a career in the Pennsylvania state government.
"I've always kind of approached [pageantry] as an opportunity to further my career," Brooks commented. "I've . hoped it to be a stepping stone for something bigger and better for me."
