Posted 3:13 p.m. Monday, July 30, 2012
UW-La Crosse grad Kate Gorman is traveling the state in her red, Chevy Colbalt with her Miss Wisconsin crown. She’s hoping the new title will attract more attention to some topics near and dear to her heart: hunger and nutrition.
[caption id="attachment_2134" align="alignright" width="300" caption="From left, first runner up Katie Williams, ’12; second runner up Elizabeth Kramer, a current UW-L student; and Miss Wisconsin 2012 Kate Gorman, who graduated in May."]
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UW-La Crosse grad Kate Gorman is traveling the state in her red, Chevy Colbalt with her Miss Wisconsin crown. She’s hoping the new title will attract more attention to some topics near and dear to her heart: hunger and nutrition.
Gorman, a communication studies major, was crowned Miss Wisconsin on June 16 and is promoting her platform “Take a Healthy Bite Out of Childhood Hunger” through June 2013.
The first and second runner up at the Miss Wisconsin pageant also had UW-L ties. First runner up was Miss Heart of Wisconsin Katie Williams, ’12, and second runner up was Miss Seven Rivers Elizabeth Kramer, a current UW-L student. 2011 Miss Wisconsin Raeanna Johnson, also a UW-L student, crowned Gorman. Like Gorman, the other three women were also Communication Studies majors.
Tom Skogen, ’64, who served on the Miss Wisconsin Board for 36 years, says he can’t recall a time when the top three in the Miss Wisconsin pageant were from the same school — not to mention the same major. Gorman says her success in the Miss Wisconsin program is a direct reflection of her time at UW-L.
“I always felt like I was going to a big university that still provided one-on-one relationships,” she says. “They push you to be innovative, think on your own and achieve more.”
[caption id="attachment_2147" align="alignleft" width="335" caption="Miss Wisconsin Kate Gorman"]
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Gorman says personal and volunteer experience also propelled her on the journey to becoming Miss Wisconsin. She experienced first-hand how a family can struggle to put food on a table as her parents started a family business. She also saw the need while volunteering at food pantries in La Crosse over the past five years. Food has continually been a theme in her life, she says.
“I found that this is what I’ve gravitated toward. I was astounded when I saw families in need and lacking nutritious food,” she says. “That’s what drew me to this issue and it’s solvable. It’s 100 percent solvable.”
Gorman will expand the educational programs she started in her role as Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest across the state, including the “Take a Healthy Bite out of Hunger Tour” where she visits schools, businesses, non-profits and community events and gives a presentation about filling cupboards with healthy food. She also hopes to hit 16 cities in Wisconsin with healthy food drives and draw attention to the quality of donated items.
She also hopes to shine a light on what Miss Wisconsin is really about — “scholarship, service, success and style,” she explains.
“No matter where I am, I want people to see that Wisconsin has the right idea by offering this amazing scholarship program for women,” she says. “It has changed my life dramatically for the better in so many ways.”
Gorman says she’d like to use her $10,000 Miss Wisconsin scholarship money to earn another bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colo. Eventually her dream is to start a culinary university for children where they learn the basics of preparing healthy meals.
But first she’ll introduce her platform even wider audience during the Miss America competition in January.
“I’m still wrapping my brain around competing for Miss America. I’ve watched it since I was a little girl,” says Gorman. “I have a true perspective and appreciation for what this job is and I feel ready to compete for the crown.”
[/caption]
UW-La Crosse grad Kate Gorman is traveling the state in her red, Chevy Colbalt with her Miss Wisconsin crown. She’s hoping the new title will attract more attention to some topics near and dear to her heart: hunger and nutrition.
Gorman, a communication studies major, was crowned Miss Wisconsin on June 16 and is promoting her platform “Take a Healthy Bite Out of Childhood Hunger” through June 2013.
The first and second runner up at the Miss Wisconsin pageant also had UW-L ties. First runner up was Miss Heart of Wisconsin Katie Williams, ’12, and second runner up was Miss Seven Rivers Elizabeth Kramer, a current UW-L student. 2011 Miss Wisconsin Raeanna Johnson, also a UW-L student, crowned Gorman. Like Gorman, the other three women were also Communication Studies majors.
Tom Skogen, ’64, who served on the Miss Wisconsin Board for 36 years, says he can’t recall a time when the top three in the Miss Wisconsin pageant were from the same school — not to mention the same major. Gorman says her success in the Miss Wisconsin program is a direct reflection of her time at UW-L.
“I always felt like I was going to a big university that still provided one-on-one relationships,” she says. “They push you to be innovative, think on your own and achieve more.”
[caption id="attachment_2147" align="alignleft" width="335" caption="Miss Wisconsin Kate Gorman"][/caption]
Gorman says personal and volunteer experience also propelled her on the journey to becoming Miss Wisconsin. She experienced first-hand how a family can struggle to put food on a table as her parents started a family business. She also saw the need while volunteering at food pantries in La Crosse over the past five years. Food has continually been a theme in her life, she says.
“I found that this is what I’ve gravitated toward. I was astounded when I saw families in need and lacking nutritious food,” she says. “That’s what drew me to this issue and it’s solvable. It’s 100 percent solvable.”
Gorman will expand the educational programs she started in her role as Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest across the state, including the “Take a Healthy Bite out of Hunger Tour” where she visits schools, businesses, non-profits and community events and gives a presentation about filling cupboards with healthy food. She also hopes to hit 16 cities in Wisconsin with healthy food drives and draw attention to the quality of donated items.
She also hopes to shine a light on what Miss Wisconsin is really about — “scholarship, service, success and style,” she explains.
“No matter where I am, I want people to see that Wisconsin has the right idea by offering this amazing scholarship program for women,” she says. “It has changed my life dramatically for the better in so many ways.”
Gorman says she’d like to use her $10,000 Miss Wisconsin scholarship money to earn another bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colo. Eventually her dream is to start a culinary university for children where they learn the basics of preparing healthy meals.
But first she’ll introduce her platform even wider audience during the Miss America competition in January.
“I’m still wrapping my brain around competing for Miss America. I’ve watched it since I was a little girl,” says Gorman. “I have a true perspective and appreciation for what this job is and I feel ready to compete for the crown.”