Recent grad wins third runner-up
After winning the hearts of the judges and her fellow contestants, Miss Mount Pleasant Brooke Mosteller took home the titles of Miss South Carolina and Miss Congeniality at Saturday night’s Miss South Carolina pageant.
The USC School of Law student won a $20,000 scholarship and the use of a new car and three-bedroom Hartsville apartment for her year as Miss South Carolina. Mosteller also won a preliminary swimsuit award. She received two additional $500 scholarships for the preliminary win and Miss Congeniality.
Before her win, Mosteller worked as an intern with South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, but now, being Miss South Carolina is her full-time job.
“I’m really glad I won because this morning I got a call from the attorney general’s office saying I was fired,” Mosteller joked at a Sunday morning press conference.
Many behind the scenes, including Miss South Carolina 2012 Ali Rogers, saw something special in Mosteller from the beginning of the competition.
“I knew Brooke Mosteller had what it takes to represent Miss South Carolina and this state,” Rogers said, tearing up.
At her first appearance as Miss South Carolina, it was clear how she earned the title of Miss Congeniality; receiving jewelry and a fur coat from pageant sponsors, she joked to her father, sitting in the front row.
“Dad, you really have a lot to live up to for my birthday on Friday,” Mosteller, who will be 24, said.
Mosteller plans on taking a year off from law school to focus on serving as Miss South Carolina, as well as preparing for Miss America, which she will compete in two months.
“I’ve spent the past year learning how to properly form an argument,” Mosteller said. “I think I can make that argument to the law school. Maybe I’ll even wear my crown.”
Mosteller plans on returning to school after her reign is over to earn her law degree.
Mosteller was among seven USC students and one recent graduate competing for the crown. Lauren Cabaniss, who graduated from USC in May, placed fourth in the competition. She and Mosteller were the only two USC students in the top 10. Leslie Knight, a third-year public relations student; Donna Tillis, a law student; and Liz Black, a second-year early childhood education student, all placed in the top 16 competitors. Three other USC students — fourth-year broadcast journalism student Amanda Bishop, third-year tourism management student Emily Sapier and second-year journalism student Hunter Wint — also competed at the Township Auditorium for a week, which culminated in Mosteller’s Saturday Night crowning.
Miss America 1994 Kimberly Aiken Cockerham was also honored at the pageant. The USC grad won Miss South Carolina 20 years from the night of this year’s competition and went on to win Miss America only eight weeks later. She was the first African American winner of the state title and the among the youngest to be crowned Miss South Carolina and Miss America, at 18 years old.
Mosteller will compete in Atlantic City, N.J. in September for the title of Miss America. Rogers was named first runner-up to Miss America at the January competition for the 2013 title, but hopes Mosteller will go all the way.
“We’re not coming back as first runner-up this year,” Rogers said.