Some students sing in the shower. Junior Anna Negron sings at New York Knicks games.
"Singing the national anthem for the Knicks was a dream come true," Negron said. "They lost the game, but it was an amazing experience. Not to mention the fact that (director) Spike Lee pulled me aside as I walked off the court and said I have an amazing voice!"
Negron, a sports management major at Seton Hall, is able to take advantages of opportunities such as this because she is currently reigning as Miss Coastal Shore-New Jersey. She will compete for the Miss New Jersey crown on June 16.
Negron balances her pageant life with her life as a student with a 3.3. GPA. She is a member of the dance team, interns at Bella Public Relations in New York City, and frequently organizes fundraisers as part of her duties as Miss Coastal Shore. In her free time, Negron says she likes to watch sports, "overdose herself" in magazines, and clip coupons.
Though friends would call her stress-free and full of smiles, Negron says she has a lot to do before the pageant in June.
"Oh gosh the list could go on for days," she says. "I take my year as a titleholder very seriously and look at that as preparation in and of itself. Gym time, interview practice, shopping for gowns, jewelry, swimsuits, shoes, endless fittings, a haircut, manicure, pedicure, research, keeping up with the news..." Negron's to-do list goes on.
At just 20 years old, Negron says she has plenty of dreams and aspirations - co-hosting "Live! With Kelly" beside Kelly Ripa being just one of them - but could never think about bringing these dreams to life without her mom, Belen, who Negron cites as her role model.
Negron says that pageants give her a chance to sing, as well as give voice to her platform of drunk driving awareness.
The summer before her senior year of high school, one of Negron's closest friends was killed by a drunk driver.
"Until his death, I was unaware of how much drunk driving impacts our country," Negron said.
She now makes the cause the focus of her pageant campaign. As part of the platform, "Drunk Driving Awareness: Think Before You Drink," Negron has had t-shirts made and sold, and the over $1,400 raised benefitted the Children's Miracle Network, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Hero Campaign. She also fundraises for the Joshua M. Moren Scholarship Fund and holds three fundraisers annually washing cars, holding concerts and doing other appearances.
Negron said her best friends and dance teammates are very proud and supportive of her pageant dreams.
"For all that Anna completes in 24 hours, she is a very well organized woman," junior Samantha Toth, Negron's roommate, said. "She does a million and one things with her life, and I truly do not understand how - or should I say, if - she sleeps at night. She does everything from earning honored academic scholarships to extensive community service to singing the national anthem at Madison Square Garden for the Big East Championship. Overall, I am enormously proud of her."
This past Sunday, Negron hosted a Zumba class at Monsignor Hall in St. Mary Magdalen Church in Millville, NJ.
The event raised funds for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Negron asked for donations of $10, and participants were able to dance under the instruction of Davis.
As for her future, Negron said she has dreams of first becoming Miss New Jersey, then Miss America. She also wants to become a publicist or agent for athletes and other celebrities, become a professional singer and sing the National Anthem live at Championship sporting event.
Negron says that juggling everything in her year as Miss Coastal Shore can be hectic, so she enjoys a couple of guilty pleasures - among them, eating cupcakes and coloring.
"I enjoy coloring when I'm stressed," she says. "Throw down some crayons and markers and it's game on."
But for now, she works at her double life as student and pageant queen. Negron is currently trying to raise $2,000 for her platform and is accepting donations online at www.missamericaforkids.org/donate/annanegron.
"I want to be a role model," Negron says. "I have overcome adversity and many stereotypes in my life as a Hispanic woman. I want to exemplify the message that anything is possible if you just believe in yourself."
Natalie Negrotti can be reached at natalie.negrotti@student.shu.edu.
