Laurie B. Gray ’03 said she was “a wreck” when, while wrapping up her biology thesis last month, her parents began ferrying her home each weekend for marathon sessions to practice her strut, smile and speech.

But the stress paid off this weekend, when Gray beat out 15 other contestants to take the 2003 Miss Rhode Island crown and earn a ticket to the biggest beauty pageant of all—September’s Miss America competition.

Gray became the first contestant in the Rhode Island event’s history to sweep the three preliminary stages, officially known as “presence and poise in evening wear,” “lifestyle and fitness in swimsuits” and “artistic expression in talent.”

On Saturday night she accepted the crown and the scholarship and stipend award, which amounted to more than $10,000.

Back at school yesterday, Gray said she worries that her new crown will conjure up Harvard student’s preconceived notions of beauty queens who walk away with “a car, a fur coat and a modeling contract.”

Gray stressed that the winners of Miss America and the related state pageants assume a responsibility to the community.

She carried Friday’s pageant on the strength of her violin concerto, a platform advocating music education in public schools, floral pattern evening gown and blue one-piece bathing suit.

Gray said her platform—which she defended to the judges on Saturday—grew out of her own experience with music in Rhode Island’s public schools.

“Fortunately my school had a really strong music education program,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that all students have the same opportunities.”

Gray said she plans to contact each of the 37 school districts in her native Rhode Island to help improve their music programs.

A winner of the Junior Miss Rhode Island competition as a senior in high school, Gray said she thought that when she came to Harvard her pageant career had ended. She said she had enjoyed the experience but, she added, “It wasn’t my thing.”

At Harvard, Gray has focussed her extracurricular life on music—playing for a time in the Bach Society Orchestra—and community service, including the MIHNUET and HARMONY programs.

But Gray was drawn back to pageants after an expos paper devoted to the Miss America pageant led her to realize that potential winners have to give back to society.

After taking fourth runner-up in the Miss Massachusetts pageant last year, Gray decided to compete again this year, but in a state with which she was more familiar.

But Gray was drawn back to pageants after an expos paper devoted to the Miss America pageant led her to realize that potential winners have to give back to society.