University Student Wins Miss Connecticut Title

Emily Audibert is Miss Connecticut 2012. Photo credit: Miss America Organization.

University of Hartford student Emily Audibert '13 was crowned Miss Connecticut 2012 on Saturday, June 30, and will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in January.

Audibert is entering her senior year at the University of Hartford, where she is pursuing a triple major in economics/finance, entrepreneurial studies, and accounting/actuarial studies in the Barney School of Business.

Audibert represented her hometown of Wolcott in the Miss Connecticut pageant, competing against 23 other young women from across the state. For the talent portion of the competition, she performed a lyrical dance to the song “Listen” by Beyoncé.

Audibert is an extremely involved and active member of the University community. She served as a Student Regent in 2011-12, and has been elected executive vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA) for the upcoming academic year. Among her many other activities, Audibert is a member of the University Dance Team,  served as president of the Economics/Finance Club, and has been inducted into numerous honor societies.  In addition, she helped start the "Hawks Helping Hartford" Day of Service in 2011, and served as student co-coordinator of the program this past year.

“Emily is one of the most outstanding and engaged students I have ever met,” said University President Walter Harrison. “Three majors, active in several honorary societies, active leader of student government, a member of the Dance Team, and a member of the Board of Regents. How she finds time to do all this I'll never know. But I'm so grateful for it.

“Emily is the complete package: brains, beauty, and (believe it or not) genuine modesty,” Harrison added. “We're all so proud of her.”

This fall, Audibert will have to balance her heavy academic load and her work as executive vice president of SGA with her new duties as Miss Connecticut and preparation for the Miss America Pageant. Audibert is passionate about her personal platform as Miss Connecticut – the fight against childhood obesity – and she plans to devote a lot of time and energy to it.

But taking time off from school is not an option, said Audibert, who added that she is used to being very busy and excels at time management.

Unlike many pageant contestants, Audibert never competed in a pageant until last year. Her dance teacher encouraged her to compete for Miss Wolcott, because she thought Audibert would be a good role model for her town. Audibert won the Miss Wolcott title, and went on to compete for the Miss Connecticut crown.

Susan Fitzgerald, senior advisor to the president and associate secretary of the University, attended the Miss Connecticut Pageant on June 30 at the Garde Arts Center in New London, along with Jessica Powers ‘13, who serves on the SGA Executive Board with Audibert.

“Emily is smart, caring and genuine in all her actions,” Fitzgerald said. “She is warm, funny, and wise beyond her years. She is well loved and respected by everyone who knows her.

“Emily wasn't a ‘pageant kid.’ Her first pageant was Miss Wolcott,” Fitzgerald added. “But, she's determined and sets high standards for herself. She worked extremely hard for the Miss Connecticut pageant. She trained physically and mentally. She was magnificent on the stage, poised, with just enough sass to complement her natural humbleness. Her dance was beautiful; her years of training and raw talent were evident. She deserved to win.”

Read more about Audibert’s crowning as Miss Connecticut, including her reaction to winning the title.

See photos of Audibert at the June 30 pageant.