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Kristina Smaby woke up Sunday morning less than six hours after returning to her Oshkosh hotel room. She walked into the bathroom, looked in the mirror and said to herself, “Whoa. What happened last night?”
What happened is the Holmen native was crowned Miss Wisconsin.
“It’s just been a surreal morning,” Smaby said while driving home in the red Ford Focus with “MissWis” plates that comes with her title.
Smaby won’t have much time to let the news sink in. She already was scheduled to appear this week at a fundraisers in Fond du Lac and Madison. There may be a parade in there as well. She would have to check when she met with her new business manager.
Though one semester from graduation, Smaby said she’ll have to put her studies at Viterbo University on hold for a year.
“This is my job,” she said.
In addition to making appearances across the state, Smaby will compete for the Miss America title in January. The only Miss Wisconsin to win was Terry Anne Meeuwsen in 1973.
“I’m going to be on TV, and it’s going to say ‘Holmen, Wis.,’” Smaby said.
She said her family — fondly called “Smaby Nation” for their vociferous support — plans to make the trip to Las Vegas for the Jan. 30 competition.
When she does return to school, Smaby said she has earned enough scholarship money to graduate debt-free; she has earned $28,000, including $10,000 for winning the Miss Wisconsin title.
A business major, Smaby hopes to launch an intergenerational day care — where children will mingle with older adults. The plan fits with her pageant platform, “Connecting Generations.”
Meanwhile, she looks forward to driving around town in her Miss Wisconsin car. She said, “I hear little boys hold up signs that say ‘Will you marry me?’”
Smaby won the overall evening gown and the community service award. Miss Onalaska Sarah Beier finished in the top 10, and Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest Katie Ekern won a medical/science scholarship.
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