Today we kick off a new series, "The Road to Miss Iowa 2018." The first contestant to be featured as part of this series is Miss Eastern Iowa, Emily Tinsman. Emily is ready to take the Miss Iowa stage by storm! Continue reading to learn more about Emily and her journey to the crown.

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What does being Miss Iowa 2018 mean to you?
Being Miss Iowa means being able to give back and serve the state and community I’ve grown up in. This title means I’m able to share my love of music and arts education on a whole new level. I’ll be able to meet more people and share my passions with those around this amazing state. Most of all, being the next Miss Iowa means that I can be a role model for young girls and hopefully inspire them to find their passions.

Tell our readers a bit about how you prepared for competing in the Miss Iowa system? What challenges did you face in preparing for Miss Iowa?
Preparation for competing in the Miss Iowa competition and Miss Iowa locals means digging deep into myself and figuring out who I am and how I’m going to best convey that on the stage. Yes, we try to work out, eat properly, stay up to date on current events, practice our talents, etc, but it’s all about trying our best and how to represent the best version of myself to the audience and the judges.

What has been three of your most memorable experiences, since being crowned Miss Eastern Iowa?
There’s so many to pick from. 1) I absolutely loved singing at the Festival of Trees in Davenport, but when we invited kids on stage to join myself and other titleholders on stage, seeing their faces light up while singing and experiencing the Christmas magic was a very memorable experience. 2) In March, I assisted in putting on a male beauty pageant and the men in the Mr. Music competition strutted their stuff for Turnaround Arts: Des Moines. 3) Being able to attend Miss Iowa orientation and getting to meet and hang out with all the other contestants was a wonderful experience. Being surrounded by empowering, caring women is so inspired and I think this is going to be a very special year at Miss Iowa.


How have you striven to not only promote your personal platform, but also help raise money for the MAO’s national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals?
My personal platform is called TEMPOS: Teaching and Encouraging Music Participation in Our Schools. As a music education major at Drake University, I’ve been able to put on numerous fundraisers and events benefiting music and arts education. I’ve been able to collaborate with many different organizations with similar missions: Turnaround Arts, Iowa Alliance for Arts Education, the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, the Iowa Music Project, the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Director’s Association, Give a Note Foundation, Herbert Hoover High School in Des Moines, Davenport Community School District, etc. On another note, I’ve been able to put on programs on campus, sold t-shirts, participated in Miss America Serves Day as well as Dance Marathon to help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network.

With the recent news which has been brought up in regards to the former Miss America Org. board, what do you hope the future of the MAO holds with their new Chairwoman, Gretchen Carlson?
I hope that with this new change of direction for the program, we’ll see more women participating and joining this wonderful organization. This is a women’s scholarship competition and it should be run by powerful, inspiring women. In general, I hope this change sheds a light on women empowerment and how this organization is meant to lift up and celebrate women and their achievements.

What advice do you have for young women who are looking to step into the Miss America Organization?
I would tell them to just go for it. Never in a million years did I think I would compete in this organization. I would tell them, yes, I also feared the swimsuit competition and I still do. This program helped me develop a strong sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. No longer do I fear interviews or talking with strangers. This program really teaches you valuable life skills that are applicable to daily life.

How do you define yourself as a role-model for others?
This past year, I was lucky enough to be a show choir director in the Des Moines metro area. Stepping into this type of leadership role was challenging, but I thought to myself when I got up at 5:30 AM every morning, what can I do to inspire and teach these kids something new today? To me, being a role model means setting a good example and encouraging kids to follow their dreams.


What do you think is the biggest challenge which is facing the young generation of America today? And how can we work together to over-come it?
One of the biggest challenges we are facing right now is discrimination ,if that means race, gender, ethnicity, sexual preferences, etc. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t going away and it will continue to be a problem if we don’t address it. We need to find ways to make sure we’re listening and responding to the minority groups in this country. Often times, they feel as though they aren’t being heard and I think that’s the first step we can take to improve communication and barriers between those that are different from one another.

Regardless of whoever wins the title of Miss Iowa 2018, what is one goal you have for the new title-holder, which you hope she is able to accomplish during her reign?
I hope that the next Miss Iowa is willing to step out into the community and is ready to dedicate herself with her time and talents. Each of the women in this class have wonderful platforms and ideas for how they would spend their year and I can’t wait to see the direction that is taken this coming year.

What have you learned from your current state title-holder, Chelsea Dubczak, which you will take with you, if you were to win the title of Miss Iowa?
I met Chelsea last year, the week before she won her local title. She seemed to be this down to earth, willing to be everyone’s friend type of character. As someone who also sings classical music for their talent, I really look to her as the epitome of what talent should look and sound like. She has definitely inspired me in the way I’ll present my talent this year and how powerful music can be, in general. Besides her many talents and personality, Chelsea has taught me to persevere and be proud of myself and what I have to offer.

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. What makes you a “bravura” candidate for Miss Iowa?
I would say my dedication to everything I do. I will always give my best effort, if that’s school work, volunteer projects, leadership positions, etc. I am committed to all that I do and I will always strive for success. It’s not about the glamor of it all or doing good for the sake of someone seeing you. It’s about being proud of yourself at the end of the day and what you’ve accomplished.

What words of advice do you have for the new class of contestants who are getting ready to compete for your title?
It’s an absolute honor to represent the eastern side of Iowa. I grew up in this part of the state and I really felt like I got to represent my family, my friends, and my community this year. If you plan to compete for Miss Eastern Iowa 2019, I would say when you step up on that stage, don’t think about being judged or the results. Think about the courage you had to put yourself out there and own your performance. I didn’t have the perfect on-stage question when I competed in the fall. In fact, I fumbled. If you’re confident in who you are and what you stand for, the judges are going to see that and surely recognize that.

What words of thanks do you have for those who have supported you on this journey?
I would obviously like to thank my mom and the rest of my family for going with this crazy idea I had to compete in pageants. I have to shout out to my fabulous board of directors Beth, Deb, and Allison. They’re the dream team and I couldn’t feel more prepared for Miss Iowa. I couldn’t be more excited to step out on the Miss Iowa stage in June.

Where can people follow you on social media?
On Facebook, you can follow my titleholder page at @misseasterniowa and on Instagram, you can follow me @emtinsman.

What final words do you have for the readers of Bravura Magazine and those following you on social media?
Competing in pageants has been a life changing experience. It sounds cliché, but I encourage everyone to find what they’re passionate about and work hard to make your dreams a reality.