Photos courtesy Courtney Walsh
Junior Courtney Walsh was named Miss Congeniality at the Miss Indiana 2012 pageant Sunday at the Renaissance Hotel in Carmel, Indiana. She was one of the two girls honored with a title; Megan Myrhen was named both Miss Indiana and Miss Photogenic.
Her sponsors in the competition were Salon 01, Big Country Solutions, Deanna Smith and Silpada Jewelry.
“I could not be more honored to be named on these titles,” Walsh said in an email. “The Miss Congeniality title is voted on by the Miss contestants. The fact that I was recognized by a group of competitive women all fighting for the same thing means so much to me.”
Prior to Sunday’s competition, Walsh had no pageant experience. She wasn’t sure if it was something she would like to pursue, but
“I tend to get ‘hair-brained’ ideas where I decide on the spot I want to do something and once that thought is in my head nothing stops me from doing whatever that idea is,” she stated.
The competition attracts hundreds of girls from all over the state, but after auditions and interviews, a selection committee chooses between 25 and 30 contestants.
In June, Walsh received an email that said the committee was interested in selecting her as a contestant. The message also asked for a final interview. Walsh was in British Columbia, Canada at the time, but interviewed on the phone from there.
One month later, she found out she had been selected as a contestant.
“Once I decided that it was something I wanted to pursue my mom instantly started helping me prepare,” Walsh said. “I could not have done something so nerve-wrecking without the support of my family, fiancé, friends, housemates and Alpha Phi sisters!”
Walsh is double majoring in English and art with a concentration in photography.
Photos courtesy Courtney Walsh