Tara Bollinger
Encyclopedia
Tara Bollinger is a model
and beauty queen
from Missouri
who has competed in the Miss USA
pageant.
Bollinger won the Miss Missouri USA
2003 title in a state pageant held in Poplar Bluff
on 19 October 2002. This was her first attempt at the title. She went on to represent Missouri in the nationally televised Miss USA 2003
pageant held in San Antonio, Texas
in March 2003 but did not place. The competition was won by Susie Castillo
of Massachusetts
.
As Miss Missouri USA, Bollinger worked as a motivational speaker
for middle and high school students. She is a strict Christian who believes in sexual abstinence and works to promote anti-drinking and anti-smoking behaviour. At the end of her reign, Bollinger crowned Shandi Finnessey
of Florissant
as the new Miss Missouri USA. Finnessey, also a graduate of Lindenwood University, later won the Miss USA
title.
Bollinger studied Mass Communications, TV Broadcasting, and Spanish at Lindenwood University
, where she graduated summa cum laude. She made the Dean's List for four years and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Fraternity at Lindenwood and has received a number of journalistic scholarships.
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and beauty queen
Beauty Queen
"Beauty Queen" is the second song from Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. The lyrics refer to Ferry's girlfriend, Valerie Leon, one-time UK beauty queen, B-movie actress and model working in the Newcastle area, circa 1973.-Musicians:...
from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
who has competed in the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant.
Bollinger won the Miss Missouri USA
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
2003 title in a state pageant held in Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
on 19 October 2002. This was her first attempt at the title. She went on to represent Missouri in the nationally televised Miss USA 2003
Miss USA 2003
The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island...
pageant held in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
in March 2003 but did not place. The competition was won by Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
of Massachusetts
Miss Massachusetts USA
The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant....
.
As Miss Missouri USA, Bollinger worked as a motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
for middle and high school students. She is a strict Christian who believes in sexual abstinence and works to promote anti-drinking and anti-smoking behaviour. At the end of her reign, Bollinger crowned Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
of Florissant
Florissant, Missouri
Florissant is a second-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in northern St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The city has a total population of 52,158 in 2010 census.-History:...
as the new Miss Missouri USA. Finnessey, also a graduate of Lindenwood University, later won the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
title.
Bollinger studied Mass Communications, TV Broadcasting, and Spanish at Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
, where she graduated summa cum laude. She made the Dean's List for four years and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Fraternity at Lindenwood and has received a number of journalistic scholarships.