Globe-hopping’s All-American Girl
With a travel schedule of 20,000 miles a month, Miss America must quickly learn how to be on her “A” game at all times. When we caught up with her in mid-May, MA ’04 Ericka Dunlap had come far along the road to becoming a world-class ambassador in support of humanity’s better intentions.
By Fred Abel
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| Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap, a native of Orlando, Florida, won her title last September at the 83rd annual Miss America Scholarship Competition in Atlantic City, NJ. Serving since then as this country’s preeminent scholarship competition winner and role model for all young women, Ericka has traveled approximately 20,000 miles a month, as she tours the nation promoting her platform, “United We Stand. Divided We Fall Behind: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion.” She has increased awareness and promoted the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures and customs in our society, while in the process educating people of all ages to celebrate diversity and eliminate generational ignorance and intolerance of predisposed notions about other cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Once she passes on the title to the 2005 victor, Ericka plans to return to the University of Central Florida to finish her undergraduate degree and to continue on to study law. |
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What unique opportunities have you had being Miss America during the war to fight terrorism and to liberate Iraq?
I had a chance to go to Kuwait for Thanksgiving, and that was a very fulfilling opportunity for me as Miss America and personally as well, because I was there for five days, and I got a chance to meet the troops and talk with them. I heard a lot of different stories from the soldiers, about their perceptions of their time in Iraq, and about what they are there for. It helped me to realize what America is trying to accomplish. Many of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi people are very grateful for the American presence, and the soldiers are definitely doing a remarkable job letting liberty and freedom be enjoyed by people around the world, so I really applaud their efforts.
Wasn’t this trip quite unusual, for Miss America to travel abroad?
Actually, yes, I believe this was the first time in thirty years that Miss America had traveled to a country where there was a war ongoing.
How has your platform regarding “diversity” fit in with current events?
It’s obviously a natural fit, because it gives me an opportunity to see first-hand from an international perspective just how well my platform works and how much of an impact it has. When I was in Kuwait, I had a chance to talk to the troops about the fact that they were very gracious to leave their country and their comfortable way of life to go to Kuwait and serve there, knowing that they would have to adjust to the Kuwaiti lifestyle. For instance, if the American service women were going to appear in public in dresses, they had to learn to wear longer dresses, as well as tops that were not revealing in any way. That proves that people can learn to realize that we all have differences, and that we should learn to respect those differences.
Which U.S. leaders have you met and what were your impressions of them?
I had a chance to meet the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponti, and he was just a very humble man and one whom I found to be extremely forward-thinking in the time I had to talk to him. I toured his offices and spoke with many of his staff members, who have the highest praise for him. In Kuwait, I met Amthal A.J. Al-Sabah, the sister of Kuwait’s Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and she was just a phenomenal woman — a great example of accomplishment and excellence in leadership in government. Of course, traveling so much, I have met quite a few mayors, governors, and other governmental officials who have shown me the utmost hospitality when I visited their states, which really means a lot and is really special to me.
What person has had the biggest impact on you? Who do you admire most?
Someone I’ve always admired and finally got to meet was talk-show host Oprah Winfrey, and it was a phenomenal opportunity to appear on the Oprah show. The theme of the show was “The Moment That Changed My Life.” There were quite a few other people who shared their stories of success and the moments that changed their life, and, of course, winning Miss America was definitely a big moment for me. Oprah showed highlights from my “acceptance routine” from the pageant, and then had her A/V people replay the videotape again, and it was fun to watch her appreciate that so much.
Which other experience as Miss America was the most fun and why?
I went to Memphis, Tennessee, and I stayed in the original Peabody Hotel, and I was able to serve as the duckmaster. That experience was so funny, because I was able to lead the ducks down the red carpet and into the elevator. They stood on the left side of the elevator, and I stood on the right side of the elevator with the grand duckmaster, and we went up to their duck palace, which is in the penthouse of the hotel. On the way up there in the elevator, I decided I wanted to take a picture with them, so I squatted down to take a picture, and one of them – hmmmm – was pretty intimidated by my coming that close to them, so they left me a “present” on my shoe, so that was pretty, ah, interesting!
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| While in Kuwait, Ericka was given plenty of time to hear the stories of American soldiers stationed in this dangerous part of the world. |
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Has there been any experience that has been difficult or painful?
No, I am just really blessed and happy to have this opportunity as Miss America. Sometimes, it can be very stressful, but I am just really, really happy to have this moment, as opposed to what I could be doing, which would be studying for a final exam!
Tell us about your daily routine and how you handle your busy schedule.
There isn’t really a daily schedule, because it varies from day to day. There are days when I have to get up and leave the room by seven a.m., such as when we had an event at Walt Disney World, and we had to be there by seven, so we were awake by five-thirty in the morning to be ready. But then there are other days when my event appearance isn’t scheduled until 6 p.m., so it just varies from day to day.
How does the job of being Miss America compare to how you imagined it to be?
I think I always imagined it as even more hectic, but because of the research that I did before competing for the title of Miss America, the job actually is everything I expected it to be, including the extensive schedule and the extent of all the speeches I have to prepare for.
How has being in a pageant organization like the Miss America Organization, with its emphasis on community service, influenced your outlook?
We have set ourselves apart as a “cream-of-the-crop” organization, with talent, commitment to community service, academic excellence, and a passion for a platform issue obviously putting us in a totally different category than other pageants. We are multi-faceted young women who are competing for a scholarship fund, in order to continue to bring awareness to various issues. Young people should be exposed to even more examples like Miss America delegates, because if you see cool college kids being good examples of excellence, that has even more of an impact at an earlier age than when you are an adult.
Do people question the relevance of pageants and Miss America, and if so, what is your response?
Yes they do, all the time. It comes out even more today, because sometimes when I enter the room with a group of women, some of them are in a state of awe because it’s the title that every little girl dreams of. But then there’s a select few who are very skeptical of my ability to speak well, and my ability to represent women in a favorable light. Once I do get an opportunity to speak and to show them that it’s not just another pretty face standing before them, they can see that I am someone who has an intellect, and character, and a commitment to an issue that‘s really important to me. Then they realize there’s no need to criticize, that there is a strong relevance today for Miss America, for all the other women who complete, as well as for the Miss America Organization itself.
Has your experience as Miss America changed you personally? If so, how?
Yes, it has. Because of the schedule I follow and the various things that I’ve learned about myself, I expect more from myself and I expect more from other people now. I do expect excellence in every way, shape, or form from the people that I deal with, and in the future that’s going to be a major criteria for me. I’ve always had high expectations, but this experience has allowed me to see that there are many people who are working hard to get me to certain places, to coordinate my visits, and, in turn, there are many people who truly expect my visit to be all that they have anticipated. So there’s a lot of pressure on my part and on the part of those who coordinate my daily activities. As a result of my appreciating all that’s happened in the past months, it’s making me expect more from myself and others who I work with now and will work with in the future.
How can someone preparing to become your successor get ready for the role?
Listen to yourself more than anything else, and set realistic goals. I am so glad I didn’t become Miss America two years ago when I started competing. I needed to have some disappointments, some critics, and some challenges placed in my way in order for me to overcome them, and to really go through the bitter to appreciate the sweet.
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| Today’s Miss America has the pleasure of being treated like a celebrity by other celebrities, including Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa of "The Regis and Kelly Show". |
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What are your plans for using your Miss America scholarship?
I’m going to finish my year of service in September, as everyone knows — that’s coming very soon. I’ll be going back to school at the University of Central Florida in January 2005. I’ll finish my degree by May, and then I am looking forward to starting a law program. From the end of September through December, I’ll be taking some LSAT [Law Scholastic Aptitude Test] preparation courses, then I’ll take my LSATs in January, finish my degree in May, and in between January and May, I’ll be applying to law schools.
What has been, or is likely to be, your greatest accomplishment this year?
I hope my greatest accomplishment is to continue to promote my platform and to establish a true presence for inclusion, specifically in corporations and in classrooms. Those are the two most important places we can start building that bridge toward inclusion, of allowing people to be well represented and appreciated and valued for all that they bring to the table.
Is there anything else you would like to say to pageant women through this interview?
I think it’s really important for young women who want to be in the position of becoming Miss America someday to just realize that, while it’s a wonderful position to have, it’s necessary for you to have a backup plan in the event that it’s not meant for you. Honestly, I didn’t think it was meant to be for me. Two years ago, I hoped and I dreamed for it, but I didn’t really know if it would happen, so I knew I had to have something to fall back on in the event it didn’t. There are a lot of people who put their heart and soul into competitions, and, while you should give one hundred percent of your effort to prepare, you have to be realistic in knowing that there’s only one person who is allotted this opportunity out of fifteen thousand who participate each year.
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