KU student captures crown

KU senior Catherine Warren has a new title, Miss Illinois USA. The pre-education major’s persistence paid off in her fourth attempt to win the title. Last year she placed as second runner-up, in 2003 she was first-runner-up, and she won for best bathing suit in 2002. “I felt like all of my hard work from the past year had really paid off,” says Warren, who will make her first official Miss Illinois appearance on December 21 in Chicago. “This really gives me an opportunity to be heard.”

Warren, who came to KU from Lake Forest High School, was crowned in Chicago last month. She will compete in the national Miss USA pageant April 21 in Baltimore. Warren returned to campus to finish fall semester finals, but reportedly will take the spring semester off to fulfill her duties as Miss Illinois and prepare for Baltimore. She does, however, plan to return to the Hill to finish her degree and is scheduled to graduate in spring of ’07.

She is not the only KU beauty queen in contention next year. Miss Kansas, Adrienne Rosel, j’05, will compete in the Miss America pageant Jan. 21 in Las Vegas.