UPDATED: May 30, 2015 at 9:44 p.m.

Allie Curtis, the former president of Syracuse University’s Student Association, was crowned Miss Rhode Island on Saturday night.

Curtis, who has extensive experience competing in beauty pageants, was elected president of the 57th session of SA in December 2012 after serving as vice president of the 56th session. She was one of 14 contestants in the Miss Rhode Island competition Saturday and went into the program as Miss West Warwick.

During her presidency Curtis prioritized service projects and fostering stronger connections between assembly representatives and the members of their home colleges. An Elect Her training program was held at SU for the first time under Curtis’ leadership. The initiative encourages young women to get involved in government as student leaders, which is in line with Curtis’ platform for the competition of “Leading Ladies: Equipping Young Women With The Skills to Lead.”

Curtis, a public relations and political science major, was also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, the Class of 2014’s Student Council co-president and a member of the Renee Crown Honors Program.

The Curtis administration faced controversy in November 2013 when Colin Crowley was permitted by Curtis to serve as SA’s director of public relations when he was not enrolled as an SU student. Curtis was charged with violating university regulations by the SA cabinet. The cabinet passed a resolution encouraging Curtis to resign while plans were made for her impeachment, but Curtis refused and the assembly ultimately voted against her impeachment.

Phil Porter, a junior history and international relations major, served as an assembly member under Curtis’ leadership and briefly as a member of her cabinet. Porter traveled to Rhode Island to watch Curtis compete in the pageant at Rhode Island College on Saturday.

“She works harder than anybody else I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Porter said. “No matter what she does she does her best at it. She just has this intensity about her.”

Porter said he admires how Curtis decided to compete in the Miss Rhode Island competition again after finishing second in the competition last year.

As the title holder for Rhode Island, Curtis will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in September. Porter, who is studying abroad in China during the fall 2015 semester, will not be able to attend the Miss America pageant.

“If I was in North America, I would find a way to make it to New Jersey to see that pageant,” Porter said.

Along with competing in the Miss America pageant, Porter said Curtis’ other plans for the near future include working for her Master of Public Affairs at Brown University and joining the National Guard.

Published on May 30, 2015 at 8:43 pm

Contact Alexa: atorrens@syr.edu