Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Beyond the crown: SEMO sundancer Jaclyn Sexauer makes her mark in pageantry world

Thursday, January 26, 2023
Exercise science and dance major Jaclyn Sexauer practices her winning smile for the camera. Sexauer competed in the Miss Missouri Volunteer Competition Jan. 6-7, placing fourth runner up.
Photo by Nathan Gladden, illustration by Emma Kratky

SEMO sundancer and sophomore exercise science and dance major Jaclyn Sexauer recently put her talents to the test when she competed in the Miss Missouri Volunteer competition in Kirkwood, Mo., at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center Jan. 6-7.

Sexauer placed fourth runner-up in the competition and also won the Fitness and Lifestyle portion of the event. She described it as one of her favorite pageants and a “fantastic experience.”

“The competition was a lot tougher than last year, and I finished in the same position, so I see that as a win,” Sexauer said. “Over the course of the week, I learned a lot about myself and how much college and just being on my own has helped me grow.”

Sexauer has participated in pageants since she was a senior in high school. Sexauer said her first pageant was in Maryville Mo. in 2021, where she won runner-up and then competed in the Miss Branson competition in Branson, Mo. the day after.

“I ended up winning Miss Branson there, and the rest is kind of history. I fell in love with it. I realized it combines a lot of things I really enjoy,” Sexauer said. “I love the talent aspect of competition.”

She said for some people, one of the “trickier” parts of pageantry can be finding their talent. Sexauer said it was easier for her to find her talent in dance, since she had been dancing for a long time.

One of the skills Sexauer works on for her pageants is interviewing. She said she does mock interviews over Zoom or in-person to prepare for the competition.

“I know that if I get thrown a trickier question, sometimes, my mind will blank out, because we do get asked political questions sometimes,” Sexauer said. “So that aspect of it I do need to work on the most in terms of preparation.”

In participating in the Miss Volunteer competition, the participants pick a platform and a cause or charity of their choosing. Sexauer’s platform is “The War Inside: Normalizing Mental Illness in our Nation’s Heroes,” where she partners with the Wounded Warrior’s Project to help veterans.

She said what inspired her to choose the platform was her grandfather’s fight with PTSD.

“My grandpa a few years ago, four years ago now, passed away from dementia that was worsened and quickened by untreated PTSD,” Sexauer said. “I have found that a lot of times, especially in the older generations, servicemen and women don’t get the aid that they need in terms of their mental health.”

There can be misconceptions about the field of pageantry; Sexauer said one misconception can be thinking pageants focus on outward appearance or are “very materialistic.”

“I find that pageants are extremely empowering and, in fact, the Miss Missouri volunteer and therefore the Miss America volunteer organization has five points of the crown,” Sexauer said. “That’s service, education, responsibility, volunteerism and empowerment. And ultimately, I think those things are really fully and outwardly shown.”

Throughout her time in pageantry, Sexauer has learned skills that affect her life in more ways than one. She said being in the pageantry world has helped her with her job as an orientation leader on campus at SEMO through building confidence and leadership skills, but she also credits SEMO with helping her prepare for pageants, as well.

“I do this thing we call ‘panel,’ where we sit on the stage, and parents just throw questions at us,” Sexauer said. “And because of that, I’ve gotten to practice my public speaking, which in turn translates to the onstage question portion of pageants.”

Sexauer also encouraged anyone who might be interested in getting into pageants to “jump right in.” She said she originally had her own misconceptions about the competition.

“In my head, I was thinking of ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ type things, but it’s really nothing like that, and it’s become such an influential and impactful and honestly central part of my life and who I am,” Sexauer said.

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