Miss Iowa Mariah Cary will compete for the title of Miss America on Saturday, January 12. The competition will broadcast Saturday on ABC at 8:00 p.m., CST. A native of Burlington, Iowa, the Mount Mercy student's platform focuses on her struggles with mild motor tics, a form of Tourette Syndrome. During her visits to Iowa schools, she has spoken about bullying and dealing with the condition as a child.
"We are very proud of Mariah's accomplishments as Miss Iowa and her advocacy for a cause very dear to her heart – Tourette Syndrome. It is my pleasure to wish her the best of luck in the competition for Miss America and thank her for serving as such an excellent ambassador for the state of Iowa and Mount Mercy University," said Mount Mercy President Christopher Blake.
Since being crowned Miss Iowa in June 2012, Cary has taken time off from school to fulfill her responsibilities as Miss Iowa, but has found a great fit at Mount Mercy.
"It has been a phenomenal experience so far," Cary said of her time at Mount Mercy. "I definitely learn better with smaller class sizes. I enjoy knowing everyone in my class and the faculty and staff are wonderful. They have time to help you outside of class and they know everything about you. I didn't know anyone going into Mount Mercy and now I am in classes where everyone is accepting of others."
Cary is studying public relations at Mount Mercy, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and plans to graduate in 2014 and pursue a career in pharmaceutical and medical sales. Mount Mercy will be live Tweeting during the Miss America pageant in support of Cary. Tweet with us using the hashtag #GoodLuckMariah.