Grace Stanke Explained

Grace Stanke
Birth Name:Grace Marie Stanke
Birth Date:30 April 2002
Birth Place:Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
Education:University of Wisconsin–Madison
Known For:Miss America 2023
Miss Wausau's Outstanding Teen 2016
Miss Harbor Cities' Outstanding Teen 2017
Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen 2017
Miss Wisconsin 2022
Miss America 2023
Term:December 15, 2022 – January 14, 2024
Predecessor:Emma Broyles
Successor:Madison Marsh

Grace Marie Stanke (born April 30, 2002) is an American pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss America 2023 on December 15, 2022.[1] A native of Wausau, Wisconsin, she is the third Miss Wisconsin to win the national title.[2] She is a nuclear engineer and national advocate for nuclear power.[3]

Early life and education

Stanke is a graduate of Wausau West High School.[4] Her father is a civil engineer.[5] She began competing as a local titleholder in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant circuit to improve her violin skills.[6] Stanke was crowned Miss Wausau's Outstanding Teen in 2016, Miss Harbor Cities' Outstanding Teen in 2017, and finally Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen 2017.[7]

Stanke started competing in the Miss America system again after she turned 18 to earn scholarship money. She competed at Miss Wisconsin 2021 as Miss Madison, where she was a semi-finalist. Stanke was crowned Miss Wisconsin 2022 on June 18, 2022 while representing Badgerland, becoming the first woman to hold both state Miss and Teen titles.[8] In addition to the title, Stanke won Preliminary Talent and $12,500 in scholarships.[9] [10] She studied nuclear engineering at University of Wisconsin–Madison.[11]

Miss America 2023

On December 15, 2022, Stanke won the title of Miss America 2023 and a $50,000 scholarship.[12] [13] During the competition, Stanke received a preliminary talent award and a $2,500 scholarship for her classical violin performance of "Summer: III. Presto" from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. She spent her year as Miss America raising awareness about nuclear power and zero-carbon energy sources.[14] During her reign, Stanke visited nuclear power plants across the United States[15] including the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia,[16] the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in western Arizona,[17] and Hanford Site in Washington,[18] [19] and Energy Northwest in Washington.[3] She also spoke about the benefits of nuclear power at the Dairyland Power Cooperative 2023 annual meeting in La Crosse, Wisconsin[20] and at the American Nuclear Society's 2023 annual conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.[21] Stanke served as the Grand Marshal of the 36th Annual Arizona Public Service Electric Light Parade.[22]

During a 'Miss America World Tour', Stanke traveled to Canada,[23] Fukushima, and COP28 in Dubai.[24]

In July 2023, Stanke interviewed with CNN about the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon and her experience with both pageants and nuclear science.[25] In September 2023, Stanke lent some of her sashes, gowns, and crowns to the Marathon County Historical Society in her hometown for an exhibit there called 'A Woman Who Can'.[26] During her reign, the Wall Street Journal declared Stanke "the new face of nuclear energy."[27] Stanke was named to the 2024 Forbes 30 under 30 for Energy list.[28]

For her last appearance as Miss America (before the 2024 competition), Stanke spoke to sixth grade girls at elementary schools in Idaho Falls about STEM and nuclear engineering in a partnership with the Idaho National Laboratory.[29]

Stanke traveled over 270,000 miles during her year as Miss America.[30]

Nuclear Engineering

Stanke completed her bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2023.[31] She is currently a Nuclear Engineer and Nuclear Energy advocate at Constellation Energy.[32] Stanke continues to advocate for nuclear power and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education across the United States.[33] [34] [35]

References

  1. Web site: NJ.com . Amy Kuperinsky NJ Advance Media for . 2022-12-16 . Miss America 2023: Live updates from the pay-per-stream . 2022-12-16 . nj . en.
  2. News: 2022-12-16 . Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke crowned as Miss America 2023 . The Economic Times . 2023-04-02 . 0013-0389.
  3. Web site: Producer . Michael LeCompte, Digital Content . 2023-08-03 . Miss America visits Tri-Cities, touts nuclear energy and STEM . 2023-09-08 . NBC Right Now . en.
  4. Web site: Who is Grace Stanke, the 2023 Miss America Winner?. 2022-12-16 . www.jsonline.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: A conversation with Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 . 2023-09-27 . www.ans.org . en.
  6. Web site: A conversation with Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 . 2023-09-27 . www.ans.org . en.
  7. Web site: Rock . Audrey . 2022-12-16 . Grace Stanke: 5 Things About Miss America's 2023 Winner From Wisconsin . 2023-04-02 . Hollywood Life . en-US.
  8. Web site: Miss Badgerland Grace Stanke Crowned Miss Wisconsin 2022. 2022-12-16 . www.thenorthwestern.com . en-US.
  9. Web site: Guernsey . Melody . Grace Stanke crowned Miss Wisconsin 2022 . 2023-04-02 . WKOW . en.
  10. Web site: Rock . Audrey . 2022-12-16 . Grace Stanke: 5 Things About Miss America's 2023 Winner From Wisconsin . 2023-04-02 . Hollywood Life . en-US.
  11. Web site: Nuclear engineering student crowned Miss America 2023 . news.wisc.edu.
  12. Web site: Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke Crowned as Miss America 2023 . 2022-12-16 . www.nypost.com . en-US.
  13. Web site: 2022-12-16 . Meet the 20-year-old who was just named Miss America . 2023-04-02 . KCRA . en.
  14. Web site: 2022-12-16 . Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke crowned as Miss America 2023 . 2023-04-02 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Can nuclear energy save the Earth? Miss America Grace Stanke is an advocate. . 2023-06-13 . Wausau Daily Herald . en-US.
  16. Web site: 2023-06-01 . Miss America Grace Stanke Visits Georgia's Plant Vogtle Nuclear Site . 2023-06-13 . Yahoo Finance . en-US.
  17. Web site: Miss America Grace Stanke visited Arizona. Touring a nuclear power plant was on her to-do list . 2023-06-13 . The Arizona Republic . en-US.
  18. Web site: Fitzgerald . Rylee . 2023-05-25 . Miss America, nuclear engineering grad Grace Stanke tours Hanford Site . 2023-06-13 . YakTriNews.com . en.
  19. Web site: Miss America Brings Nuclear Energy Message to Women Engineers at Hanford . 2023-09-27 . Energy.gov . en.
  20. Web site: Williams . Brad . 2023-06-08 . Miss America talks nuclear power at annual meeting for Dairyland in La Crosse . 2023-06-13 . WIZM 92.3FM 1410AM . en-US.
  21. Web site: Proctor . Darrell . 2023-06-08 . The POWER Interview: Miss America Talks Importance of Nuclear Power . 2023-06-13 . POWER Magazine . en-US.
  22. Web site: 2023-10-14 . Phoenix, APS name grand marshal of Electric Light Parade - Daily Independent . 2023-10-17 . The Daily Independent at YourValley.net . en.
  23. Web site: Miss America 2023: A look at Grace Stanke's year of service . 2024-02-29 . Wausau Daily Herald . en-US.
  24. Web site: Menser . Paul . 2024-01-08 . Miss America visits to talk STEM, nuclear engineering, self-confidence . 2024-02-29 . Idaho National Laboratory . en-US.
  25. Web site: 2023-07-22 . Miss America 2023, Grace Stanke is a real-life 'Barbenheimer', here's why . 2023-08-11 . Hindustan Times . en.
  26. Web site: Sepeda . Kassandra . 2023-09-06 . Miss America exhibit "Graces" Marathon County Historical Society . 2023-09-08 . WSAW-TV . en.
  27. Web site: Hiller . Jennifer . 2023-09-23 . The New Face of Nuclear Energy Is Miss America . 2023-09-27 . WSJ . en-US.
  28. Web site: Grace Stanke . 2024-02-29 . Forbes . en.
  29. Web site: Menser . Paul . 2024-01-08 . Miss America visits to talk STEM, nuclear engineering, self-confidence . 2024-02-29 . Idaho National Laboratory . en-US.
  30. Web site: CARD 2024: Conference for Advanced Reactor Deployment . 2024-02-29 . event.asme.org.
  31. Web site: Grace Stanke . 2024-02-29 . Foro Nuclear . en-US.
  32. Web site: Former Miss America Grace Stanke Begins Career as Nuclear Engineer and Advocate at Constellation . 2024-05-14 . www.constellationenergy.com . en.
  33. Web site: Media . Griffin . 2023 Miss America, Nuclear Engineer, Speaks To Girls At Tulsa's Discovery Lab . 2024-02-29 . www.newson6.com . en.
  34. Web site: Sink . Casey . 2024-02-21 . Grace Stanke, nuclear engineer and Miss America 2023, to give SciFest keynote . 2024-02-29 . News and Events . en-US.
  35. Web site: CARD 2024: Conference for Advanced Reactor Deployment . 2024-02-29 . event.asme.org.

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