Miss Virginia

The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.^[1]

To compete in the Miss Virginia pageant, a contestant must first win one of many local competitions. Contestants may compete at the local and state level more than once, but having won a state title may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. The state pageant is held in Roanoke, Virginia at the Roanoke Civic Center in June or July.^[2][3]

During her reign, Miss Virginia travels over 40,000 miles across the state making appearances to further her social impact initiative, visit schools, and for the Miss America Organization's national American Heart Association's "Go Red" campaign.^[3]

Dorcas Campbell from Farfield was Miss Virginia of 1963, won many singing contests, and was a very talented opera singer. Kristi Lauren Glakas, Miss Virginia 2005, is one of only seven women who have competed in the Miss America, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA competitions. She was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999 and Miss Virginia USA 2004, placing in the top ten at Miss Teen USA 1999 and was a non-finalist at Miss USA 2004.^[4] Two other Miss Virginia titleholders later competed in the Miss USA pageant: Jennifer Pitts was Miss Virginia USA 2005 and Shannon DePuy was Miss Florida USA 1995.^[4][5]

Madison Whitbeck of Arlington was crowned Miss Virginia 2025 on June 28, 2025, at the Berglund Center Auditorium in Roanoke, Virginia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2026 in Orlando, Florida September 2-7 2025.

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Virginia titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

• Miss Americas: Kylene Barker (1979), Nicole Johnson (1999), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020)
• 1st runners-up: Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• 2nd runners-up: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954)
• 3rd runners-up: Evangeline Glidewell (1933), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006), Hannah Kiefer (2008)
• 4th runners-up: Rose Marie Elliott (1939), Nancy Glisson (1994)
• Top 10: Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Heidi Lammi (1988), Shannon DePuy (1991), Nancy Redd (2004), Caitlin Uze (2011), Cecili Weber (2018)
• Top 15: Eleanor V. Reid (1926), Dolores Taylor (1936), Jacquelyn McWin (1941), Elizabeth Crot (2012), Savannah Lane (2016)
• Top 16: Frances L. Sultan (1937)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Linda Moyer (1972), Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Nancy Redd (2004), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006)
• Preliminary On Stage Interview: Emili McPhail (2019)
• Preliminary Talent: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954), Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Crystal Lewis (2000), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Rebecca Richardson (1957), Alice Sue Williams (1960), Patricia Gaulding (1963), Carolyn Eddy (1965), Sydney Lewis (1970), Terri Bartlett (1978), Susan Parker (1984), Tami Elliott (1990), Sheri Huffman (1991), Lora Flattum (1992), Michelle Kang (1997), Kelli Quick (1998), Crystal Lewis (2000)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: Linda Maclin (1967)
• Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship: Hannah Kiefer (2008), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• Children's Champion Award: Nancy Redd (2004), Mariah Rice (2005)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Adrianna Sgarlata (2007), Tara Wheeler (2008), Caitlin Uze (2011), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• Waterford Crystal Business Scholarship: Cullen Johnson (1995)
• Women in STEM Winners: Victoria Chuah (2023)

Winners

Notes

1. ^ Appointed titleholder had to reign for a full year in 2020 after state and national pageants postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic^[55]

References

1. ^ Weil, Martin (2010-01-31). "Caressa Cameron, formerly Miss Virginia, wins Miss America 2010 title". Washington Post
2. ^ Moyer, Laura (1996-08-12). "Think Pageant Queens have it easy? Try keeping up with Miss Virginia". The Free Lance-Star.
3. ^ "Chinah Helmandollar assumes title of Miss Virginia". Miss Virginia Organization. 2010-02-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
4. ^ Jones, Beth (2005-06-25). "Another tiara on the nightstand". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02.
5. ^ "Beauty Pageants Advance Careers". The Christian Science Monitor004.
6. ^ Reece, Janay (July 2, 2023). "The next 2023 Miss Virginia and Miss Virginia Teen is...". WDBJ. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
7. ^ [email protected] 540-981-3376, Neil Harvey. "Liberty University grad is crowned Miss Virginia 2021". Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
8. ^ "Richmond woman named Miss Virginia 2019 at Liberty University". The News & Advance. June 22, 2019.
9. ^ Goldstein, Joelle & Maslow, Nick (December 19, 2019). "Miss America Is Now a Scientist! Camille Schrier of Virginia Wins Crown After On-Stage Experiment". People
10. ^ Cocksedge, Charlie (July 2, 2019). "Biochemist Wins Miss Virginia By Performing Science Experiment Onstage As Her Talent". UNILAD. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
11. ^ Chumney, Richard (June 23, 2018). "Hollins University senior crowned Miss Virginia". The Roanoke Times
12. ^ "The Latest: Virginia, Louisiana win Miss America prelims". The Washington Post. September 6, 2018.^{[dead link]}
13. ^ "Fayetteville teen named 'Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen'". WGHP News. June 22, 2013. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
14. ^ Banks, Alicia (August 18, 2013). "Roseboro's Emili McPhail places in top 8 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen". The Fayetteville Observer
15. ^ "Hollins University graduate wins Miss Virginia". The Roanoke Times. June 25, 2017.
16. ^ Helms, Alexis (26 June 2017). "Miss Arlington wins Miss Virginia pageant". Richmond Times-Dispatch^{[dead link]}
17. ^ "Virginia makes top 10 in Miss America competition". WDBJ News. September 11, 2017.
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19. ^ "2010 Scholarships". Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on 2016-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
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23. ^ James, Stephanie A. (July 9, 2014). "Pamplin's Garrett relishes role of Miss Virginia". Times-Virginian
24. ^ "Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen, Jeanette Morelan, Wins Miss America's Outstanding Teen Competition". Miss America's Outstanding Teen. August 15, 2009. Archived January 29, 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
25. ^ "Miss D.C., Maryland and Virginia vie for Miss America crown — and big scholarship money". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Nash Holdings. July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
26. ^ Mickel, Becky (June 25, 2011). "Chesapeake native is crowned Miss Virginia". The Roanoke Times.
27. ^ Harvey, Neil (2010-02-04). "Runner-up fills pageant void". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11.
28. ^ Evans, Colleen (June 30, 2008). "Miss Arlington is Miss Virginia". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
29. ^ Mitchell, Whitney (July 13, 2007). "Miss Virginia's on top of the world". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-14.
30. ^ Rogers, Christina (2005-06-26). "GMU student is crowned Miss Virginia". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-09.
31. ^ "Miss Oklahoma, Miss Virginia Win Preliminary Awards". CMT. 2006-01-18. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011.
32. ^ Jones, Beth (2004-06-28). "For Miss Virginia, 'a story of triumph'". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08.
33. ^ "Miss Virginia 2000 Crowned". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. 2000-07-03.
34. ^ "Miss Virginia's Victory Means Successor Rules". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. 1998-09-23.
35. ^ "Diabetic Crowned Miss VA". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. June 29, 1998.
36. ^ Moyer, Laura (1996-07-01). "Miss Virginia Hails from Hartwood". The Free Lance-Star.
37. ^ Moyer, Laura (1996-09-26). "Win or No Win, Miss Virginia Remains Upbeat". The Free Lance-Star.
38. ^ Reed, David (1995-07-26). "Official at Last: Miss Virginia title, tiara goes to runner-up". The Free Lance-Star.
39. ^ AP (1994-07-04). "Fourth Time is Charm for Miss Virginia". The Free Lance-Star.
40. ^ Ebert, Bruce C. (September 20, 1989). "Tami Elliott: She Did Her Best". Daily Press
41. ^ "Miss Virginia 1982 won the crown on second try". The Free Lance-Star. July 12, 1982.^{[dead link]}
42. ^ Platt, Ryan (November 8, 2010). "Senior crowned Miss Greater Richmond". Breeze JMU.
43. ^ "1945 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
44. ^ "1944 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
45. ^ Ward, Matthew (2015-01-26). "Former Miss Virginia from Suffolk dies". Suffolk News-Herald. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
46. ^ "1935 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
47. ^ "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS. Archived 2017-02-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
48. ^ "Danville Girl Declared Best Looker In Virginia", The Bee, 2 Sep 1933 Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
49. ^ Schnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press. p. 4. – via Newspapers.com ...talent contest that was established in 1935.
50. ^ "1927 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
51. ^ "1924 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
52. ^ "Beauties". Times Herald. September 5, 1923. p. 29. – via Newspapers.com
53. ^ "1922 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
54. ^ "1921 Candidates". Miss America. Archived from the original on 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
55. ^ Kuperinksy, Amy (May 8, 2020). "Miss America postpones pageant until 2021, N.J. pageant still set for September". Press of Atlantic City

External links

• Miss Virginia official website