On June 25, the WYO Theater Sheridan, WY, will hold its annual Miss Wyoming competition,
Hazel Homer-Wambeam, a rising senior at the University of Wyoming (who currently holds the title of Miss University of Wyoming), will be competing alongside other young women from around the state for the title of Miss Wyoming.
“I am so excited to be able to represent my wonderful school at the Miss America competition as the Miss University of Wyoming!” Homer-Wambeam said.
“As a third-generation UW student who grew up here in Laramie, I have always loved our campus and school and have become super involved in my UW community.”
If Homer-Wambeam wins the competition, she will move on to the larger Miss America competition, a nationally-televised program that will be held later this year at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
The Miss Wyoming scholarship program was founded in 1932 with the goal of advancing young women in the areas of service, leadership, and entrepreneurship. In addition, the organization provides financial assistance to young women all over the country by offering cash scholarships that help them pursue their academic goals.
“One of the biggest reasons I decided to run for Miss Wyoming and get involved in this program is because of the much-needed change that is happening within the organization,” Homer-Wambeam said.
“Miss America is moving into a new era of Miss America 2.0 and is no longer a beauty pageant, but rather a scholarship competition.”
One of the most significant changes that have occurred in this competition is the elimination of the swimsuit category.
This is all part of an effort to steer the competition away from the contestants’ appearances and instead towards who they are as people and the impact they can have as female leaders.
The competition now includes the following categories: a private interview with the judges; an onstage interview with the audience; a performance of the contestants’ chosen talent (such as dancing or singing); and the presentation of the contestants’ Social Impact Initiative, a community service project created by participants that support a cause that is important to them.
The shift towards community service and making an impact as a young female is one of the reasons Homer-Wambeam chose to get involved in the competition.
She explained that she met Emma Broyles, a young woman from Alaska who won the title of Miss America in 2021. Getting to know Emma and her experience with the competition is what inspired Homer-Wambeam to see her impact as a young female leader.
“Emma winning made me feel like Miss America was something that I could do too, that it was not a competition for celebrities and supermodels, but rather for real women like me,” Homer-Wambeam said.
Homer-Wambeam’s involvement on the UW campus has included serving in the student government among other student organizations. As well as working on campus as a UW employee.
She hopes to increase her impact in similar areas by pursuing the title of Miss Wyoming this month.
