Flaherty, 23, owns and operates a boutique in Chesterfield, Missouri. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2014.

She said she took a couple years off from pageant competition but decided to try in her last year of age eligibility for the Miss America Pageant, which will be in September in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Her pageant platform has always been suicide prevention, a topic dear to her because she had a friend in high school who committed suicide. While at UCF, O’Flaherty also was a columnist for the UCF Forum opinion series. One of her columns, explained why she is involved in suicide prevention.

And to read a Q&A about her after she won the Miss UCF title, click here.

Harris, a junior from Orlando, is majoring in psychology. He has been very involved on campus, most recently as an O-Team member. After completing his education, he plans to become an industrial-organizational psychologist to help create training and stress-relief programs to help improve employee performance, conduct and morale.

Vasile, a senior from Port Orange, is majoring in advertising & public relations. She is a member of the UCF KnightMoves Dance Team and serves in a leadership capacity with the team. In the future she hopes to become a Radio City Rockette in New York City and eventually move on to work in their Advertising & Marketing department. During her year as Miss UCF, she will represent the university in the annual Miss Florida Pageant which takes place in St. Petersburg in June.

Each winner received a $1,800 scholarship from the Student Government Association and UCF Alumni Association.

Mr. and Miss UCF will represent the university in the Orlando and Central Florida areas. Both will have on- and off-campus speaking engagements to raise awareness for their selected passionate social issues. They will serve as campus celebrities making appearances at events and helping highlight all of the wonderful things that UCF is doing.

The pageants, hosted by the UCF Campus Activities Board, were highly attended with 400 people each night. To schedule Mr. and Miss UCF for an appearance, email Sara Sanchez at: cabspec@ucf.edu.

Zagorc is a senior from Tampa, Florida studying Advertising-Public Relations. Quinn performed a contemporary dance to “Edge of Glory,” and his platform that he will pursue during his year of reign is “Dance Up to Bullying.”

The following evening on February 1, 16 young women competed for the partner title, Miss UCF 2014. At the end of the evening, Catie Pires-Fernandes was crowned and given the opportunity to move on and represent UCF at the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant in June 2014.

Pires-Fernandes is a senior from Miami studying musical theatre. She showcased a vocal performance entitled, “Cut, Print, Moving On,” and her platform is “Environmental Awareness: Living on the EGDE.”

“The dedication of these contestants and the growth I have seen in each of them is incredible,” said Marelena Cruz, Mr. and Miss UCF director Campus Activities Board. “All 24 of them make me so proud to be a part of this program, and I look forward to working with Quinn and Catie as our new titleholders.”

Both winners received a $1,500 scholarship from the Student Government Association and the UCF Alumni Association.

CAB is an agency of the Office of Student Involvement in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

 O’Flaherty is a senior majoring in accounting with a minor in leadership studies. She is a former Orientation leader, LEAD Scholar and Knight-Thon morale member and is currently an ambassador for the QPR Suicide Prevention program. Her platform is “Suicide Prevention ─ We’re All Responsible.”

 The night before, the new Mr. UCF 2013, Roberto Canalas, competed along nine other Mr. UCF contestants to win the title. Canalas is a junior majoring in interpersonal and organizational communications with a minor in leadership studies. He is a former LEAD Scholar and is currently the morale director for Knight-Thon.

She’s an honors student and a dedicated researcher at the şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą. She loves to write, paint and sing opera. And she’s “Miss UCF,” the university’s own beauty queen.

On Saturday, Boehme will trade her Miss UCF crown for a graduation cap when she receives her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology. She will graduate during the last of four commencement ceremonies this week at the UCF Arena.

Boehme will spend another year in Orlando fulfilling her Miss UCF duties while also studying HIV as a research analyst for one of UCF’s clinics. Next fall, she’ll head to one of the prestigious medical schools that have accepted her—Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt or Mayo, among others.

She eventually hopes to work in pediatrics, either as a neurosurgeon or cardiologist. She also wants to travel abroad for medical mission work and would one day like to open her own clinic.

“Giving back is important to me, and I know I can do that as a doctor,” she said. “My family came here as immigrants, and we had so many people helping us along the way. I want to be able to help others.”

A native of the Dominican Republic, Boehme immigrated to the United States with her parents and two brothers at age 2. Her family settled in Central Florida, and she graduated from Winter Springs High School.

She was a National Hispanic Scholar, and she was named a Gates Millennium Scholar by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation awards the honor annually to 1,000 promising new minority college students.

Although she considered prestigious undergraduate programs across the country, Boehme didn’t have to search far for the perfect fit. She chose UCF because it had everything she was looking for, and she was confident she’d receive a first-class education.

Boehme took advantage of UCF’s many opportunities, studying stem cells and bacterial toxins at campus research labs. She traveled to Saint Kitts and Nevis through the Honors College’s President’s Scholars Program, a trip that laid the groundwork for her future career goals and exposed her to the Miss UCF pageant.

While there, she learned about environmentalism and the development of small nations, and she volunteered at orphanages and nursing homes. Her travel companions, veterans of the pageant scene, convinced her that she had the brains, beauty and talent to become Miss UCF. Boehme gave the competition a shot the following spring.

Though she placed second runner-up, she remained active at UCF, volunteering, leading campus organizations and mentoring younger science students. She also enrolled in an opera course at UCF to prepare for the next pageant.

Her hard work paid off when she was awarded the title in February. That month she was also inducted into Order of Pegasus, UCF’s highest student honor.

“Jacqueline is a young woman with many distinguished qualities and well-rounded interests. And if there’s an award out there, she’s won it,” said Alvin Wang, dean of the Burnett Honors College. “I always joke with her that she must have an evil twin running around helping her accomplish everything. She’s smart, talented and determined.”

As Miss UCF, Boehme will share her platform with others during activities at the university and in the community. She is striving to motivate students of all ages with her message that college and success are attainable.

Boehme is preparing to compete in July’s Miss Florida competition. Should she win the state title, she’ll go on to compete in the Miss America pageant.

While she is excited about sporting her Miss UCF sash for another year, Boehme says her crowning achievement will be the opportunity learn and grow as a doctor.

“I’m looking forward to working in a field that is continuing to evolve,” said Boehme. “I want to be a lifelong learner, and I know I’ll be able to do that throughout my career.”

Boehme, a senior molecular and microbiology major, will receive $1,600 in scholarships and will compete for the title of Miss Florida in July. She will be a representative for UCF and make appearances around the state throughout the year.

In August last year, 90 women auditioned for the Miss UCF 2011 pageant. It was then narrowed down to 23 contestants, 18 of whom competed on Saturday. The show was streamed live on the SGA website for the first time in the pageant’s history.

“It was important to get the show online because of how many family members were out of state and could not attend,” said Chris Pombonyo, director of the CAB Spectacular Knights Committee. “There’s such a large turn out and we wanted people to be able to watch it from their homes as well.”

More than 1,000 guests filled the ballroom to watch the contestants perform. The competition included an on-stage interview in which each woman was asked a randomly chosen question, and a lifestyle and fitness portion in which the contestant showed off her physique in a swim suit.

The talent showcase was the largest part of their final scores. Contestants performed speeches, songs, instrumentals and dance numbers for the judging panel. The women then donned evening gowns for the final judging portion and were expected to exhibit the poise, charisma and charm expected of Miss UCF 2011.

“I’ve learned so much about myself and I am so thankful of the experience,” said competitor Jonecia Mahan.

The audience got a chance to vote for their favorite contestant and donate to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a sponsor of the event. Guests raised $2,400 for the cause. Barnes & Noble and the Blue Man Group of Universal’s CityWalk were also sponsors of the event.

At the end of the night the votes were tallied and the non-finalist awards, such as Best Interview, Best Talent, and Miss Congeniality were presented to the contestants who did especially well in a specific segment of the competition. Miss UCF 2010 Sara York then passed the title and the crown to Boehme.

“Take the moment and start right away,” Pombonyo said, as advice for Boehme. “Don’t wait. She has big shoes to fill for this year.”

Boehme will join Jared Masucci, the winner of Mr. UCF 2011, in their activities for the year, in addition to preparing for the Miss Florida competition. Should Boehme win the state title she will go on to compete for Miss America.

Source: Central Florida Future, Boehme wins 2011 Miss UCF crown, by Emon Reiser, contributing writer. Published: Sunday, February 6, 2011, updated: Sunday, February 6, 2011 17:02

One classroom was hosted by teacher Denesha Jenkins Pierre-Louis. Veronica Liveslay, Student Development and Enrollment Services, stated, “In 2007, when Denesha was Miss UCF, I accompanied her and Alex Lord [Mr. UCF] to Princeton Elementary for the same purpose. It goes full circle.”

Each November, in celebration of American Education Week, the OCPS Foundation brings business and civic leaders into the classrooms – in a fun and engaging way – to talk with students about academics, careers and the future.

The theme for the event was “Dreams Really Do Come True.” York was introduced by her Fairy Godmother (AKA Veronica Livesay, co-executive director), and, in keeping with the theme, a Cinderella coach was present. Vice President Maribeth Ehasz and Student Body President Mike Kilbride, brought well wishes from the university community and student body. Sara modeled her competition wardrobe and played her talent piece, Malaguena, on the piano.

A total of seven current and former Knights are competing in this year’s Miss Florida Pageant:  Vicky DiSanto, Dasha Gonzalez, Jaclyn Raulerson, Danielle Mueller, Tara Szczepanski and Kristina Janolo.

“This is a positive way to show support for our Miss UCF as she represents our university at the upcoming state pageant,” said Melanie Bullock, co-executive director. “We are proud of all our UCF women and wish them all the best.”

Campus Activities Board is a student group Student Involvement, an office in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

In addition, Mr. UCF entertained the children by singing a song and reading a story. The children were very excited to try on Miss UCF’s crown and Mr. UCF’s sash.

Creative School for Children is a department in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.