Boston University College of General Studies sophomore Olivia Culpo will soon be moving into an apartment in New York City after winning the Miss USA pageant Sunday night.
News outlets report she will take a year off from her studies at BU to fulfill her duties as Miss USA 2012. If she is unable to do so, first place runner-up Nana Meriwether, Miss Maryland USA, will fulfill those duties.
Culpo’s next step is to represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe competition in December, taking over the title from 2011 winner Alyssa Campanella.
Culpo, who won Miss Rhode Island USA in October, represented her home state at the competition and was crowned the victor out of 50 contestants.
The competition consisted of three rounds, including swimsuit modeling, evening gown modeling and an interview question from one of the judges. Twitter users composed Culpo’s question, a first in the pageant’s history.
In her answer, Culpo said she thinks it would be fair for a transgender woman to win Miss USA over a natural-born woman.
“I can understand that people would be a little apprehensive to take that road because there is a tradition of natural-born women [in the contest],” she said, “but today where there are so many surgeries and so many people out there who have a need to change for a happier life, I do accept that because I believe it’s a free country.”
She later said she did not view the question as controversial.
“That question was not very difficult for me to answer because it’s very general, and we are a free country, so I would always walk that middle path and always say freedom comes first,” she said in a post-crowning press conference. “It was easy for me to answer that.”
In an online Miss USA interview posted to YouTube, Culpo said she respects the existence of the pornographic industry.
“In terms of our country, and what is most beneficial for our country, I don’t think that the pornographic industry is the most advantageous,” she said. “But like I said, it is a free country and to each their own.”
However, Culpo said she does not support the legalization of recreational marijuana use.
“If it is for the purpose of a medical concern, yes, because I do understand when that is appropriate, but for any other purpose, no, I don’t think it’s a good habit,” she said. “I don’t think it would do anything for our country economically speaking.”
Culpo is an accomplished cellist and won a seat in Boston Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall, according to her biography on the Miss Universe website.
She began playing the cello in the second grade and attended band camps during summer vacation, according to her Miss USA biography. Her parents have musical backgrounds.
Culpo speaks some Italian and has twice studied in Milan. She has made the Dean’s List every semester, according to her Miss USA biography, and describes herself as a “nerd” on her Twitter page.
Culpo said she won by setting a goal and achieving it.
“Getting out there, you’re taking a leap of faith,” she said. “Who knows how you’re going to do, but some things in life are a little tricky and you need to just challenge yourself, set a goal and reach for it.”
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I agree that Miss Olivia Culpo is s stunning beauty! However, I still pick Venezuela and Ukraine to come up as winners in this year’s Miss Universe. Perhaps, Ms. Culpo may make it to the magic 5!