Ponte Vedra resident Laura Beard is the new Miss University of Florida.
Beard, who was crowned late last month, will receive a $1,000 cash scholarship and other prizes. Additionally, she will represent the university at the Miss Florida competition in July in St. Petersburg. The winner there will represent Florida in the Miss America competition. Beard finished as a semi-finalist in the 2009 Miss Florida competition.
During the talent portion of the pageant, which was held in front of 400 people at the Harn Center for Performing Arts, Beard performed Chopin’s "Revolutionary Etude" on piano,
Beard is a native of Ponte Vedra Beach and the daughter of Murray and Elise Beard. She graduated from Nease High School with an International Baccalaureate diploma in 2006. She is graduating magna cum laude from the University of Florida in May with an undergraduate degree in Piano Performance and a masters degree in Management Science from the business school. She is a Reitz scholar, the Presser Music Scholar, a member of Florida Blue Key leadership, honorary chairperson of Cicerones Presidential Hosts and a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.
Beard plans to attend law school in the fall.
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