Former Miss Indiana and Miss America Katie Stam will discuss her experiences as the titleholder, placing an emphasis on community service, at 7:30 p.m. in Pruis Hall. Her presentation, titled "The Importance of Community Service and Involvement," is on behalf of Housing and Residence Life, the Panhellenic Council and Freshman Connections.
"No matter what you're going through personally and no matter how hard you're struggling, I think it's important to keep the perspective that there is probably someone out there struggling a little bit more than you," Stam said. "That's why it's important to give back around every corner."
Freshman telecommunications major Chloe Anagnos, an Excellence in Leadership ambassador, was asked to run the event as part of a committee that invites speakers to visit campus and cover a variety of topics. She said she suggested Stam and received a next-day call from the Office of Student Life applauding the idea.
"It was mixing friendship with business at the same time," Anagnos said.
Anagnos, an Elkhart native, has been competing in the Miss America circuit since age 14. She met Stam, then Miss Indiana, after winning "Miss Outstanding Teen" at the Miss Elkhart County Pageant in 2009. She said she admires Stam for her genuine personality and international leadership.
"Katie is very congenial ... and very real," Anagnos said. "She has a true passion for leading others, which is pretty evident in the amount of philanthropy work that she does."
Anagnos said she also appreciates that Stam embodies the true Miss America, which has nothing to do with fancy dresses and big hair.
"She is the epitome of what the Miss America network stands for, which are the four points on the crown she wears: success, service, style and scholarship," Anagnos said.
2012 Miss Ball State Courtney Jurick has also met Stam through the Miss America organization and said she admires her presence.
"I try as much as I can to emulate her in any way, whether it be for interviews or preparation for Miss Indiana," Jurick, a senior public relations major, said. "It's going to give me the opportunity to actually watch her speak at a level where I could potentially be if I was selected as Miss Indiana."
Jurick said she felt a connection to Stam even before winning the Miss Ball State title. In 2010, she competed in the Miss Indiana pageant for the first time, winning the "Newcomer" award. She got the chance to speak with Stam during an autograph signing and received a positive message.
"Ultimately, she told me to never give up and to keep doing what I love," Jurick said.
Along with discussing the importance of community service, Stam will talk about her journey to the crown and how leadership plays an essential role in success. She is looking forward to being on campus and sees this presentation as an incredible opportunity to speak to a younger audience.
"I remember how fun it was to be that age and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and who I really was," Stam said. "I think it is such a special time in one's life."
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