Senior biology secondary education major Tiffany Rush, from Asheboro, North Carolina, received the Miss America Academic Achievement Award at the Miss North Carolina 2019 competition. She competed representing Miss Randolph County.
“I was so blessed to receive the Miss America Academic Achievement Award,” said Rush. “It was incredibly humbling and rewarding to be recognized not just at the Miss North Carolina level, but by the national committee as well. School has always been one of my top priorities, so it was nice to see that my hard work for all of these years has paid off.”
Over the four nights of competition, Rush was also awarded six other scholarships for a total of $7200:
The North Carolina Community Service Impact Scholarship
The North Carolina Electric Cooperatives STEM Scholarship
The Ward Black World Changer Scholarship
The Janice Barbee Academic Achievement Scholarship
The Kay Dickinson Educator Scholarship
Second Runner-Up for The Dana L. Reason Quality of Life Award
“When I first began competing in pageants, my main intention was to earn money for school,” said Rush. “However, I fell in love with the service aspect. Service is the reason that I have kept coming back. I love serving and getting plugged into my community and hometown.”
Rush knew from a very young age she wanted to be an educator. “My sophomore year of high school, I had an amazing biology teacher, and ever since then I have been adamant on becoming just like her,” she said.
Rush is part of the Appalachian Community of Education Scholars program. After graduation, she wants to spend her life teaching biology, as well as pursuing genetic counseling.
Tiffany Rush