Anne Michael Langguth, 22, Iowa City Miss Iowa 2009
On any given day, it’s not uncommon for Anne Michael Langguth to be asked questions that sound more appropriate for Cinderella.

The most common?

“ ‘Are you a princess?’ or ‘Do you live in a castle?’ ” she says, laughing.

When you’re serving as Miss Iowa, those questions come with the territory. A 2005 Iowa City West High School alumna and a 2009 Harvard graduate, Anne is now headed to Las Vegas at the end of January to compete for the title of Miss America.

“Growing up, my sister and I would always watch the Miss America pageant. We have pictures of me sitting on a chair, falling asleep, because I was too young to stay awake long enough to see who was crowned. These young women were so articulate, beautiful, and wonderful, but I never thought, ‘That’s what I want to do,’” says Anne.

Anne became involved in the pageant world not so much for the glitz and glamour, but for the scholarship opportunities. Worldwide, the Miss America pageant doles out $45 million annually. So far, these scholarships have paid for Anne’s summer school and books, and will pay for two years of med school (she’s attending the University of Iowa starting in August 2010).

The pageant world also gives her the chance to perform. She began playing the violin at age 3.

“I started with a Rice-A-Roni box and a paint stick for the neck,” she says.

Serving as Miss Iowa, Anne’s full-time career for now, allows her to blend her unique interests — public health, the violin, character education, and science. She sets her own appearances, makes her own contacts and chooses the organizations she partners with.

“I’m a one-woman band,” she says. “It’s given me a chance to make my year one that’s tailored to me.”

When most people think of Miss Iowa, they think about the Miss America competition.

“What goes into it is so much more than that,” she says. “I have 364 days to do as much as I can as Miss Iowa. People forget that there’s a job aspect to it, if you want there to be. It’s an incredible opportunity to give back to the state and promote causes or organizations that could use another voice.”

Her platform is Good for You—Promoting and Supporting Wellness Initiatives.

“It’s broad, but I like it that way,” says Anne. “It gives me a chance to promote everything from wellness to engagement of the sciences to character development.”

She has developed partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Public Health, and CHARACTER COUNTS!

She’s also the spokesperson for the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory.

“They produce educational materials that talk about public health and ways to get people interested in the sciences, and they were looking for someone to help them spread their message,” she says.

A perfect fit considering that with a degree in both government and minor in health policy, Anne envisions working for the government or running for public office after medical school.

As for the competition she faces on Jan. 30?

“I’ve loved my year as Miss Iowa,” says Anne. “But if I’m still Miss Iowa on Jan. 31, I’ll still be happy.”
— LEAH