Former Miss Delaware returns to UD

 Last year, junior Galen Giaccone, a biology major with aspirations to be a dental surgeon, withdrew from the university to be Miss Delaware. This fall she's back — post-crown.

Giaccone said although she was eager to pass on the headpiece and all that came with it in exchange for the life of a typical college student, as the Miss Delaware 2009 pageant drew near she became nervous.

"I knew my whole life was going to change that night," she said. "In one moment the new Miss Delaware was going to have the job that I once had."

On June 13, Giaccone handed the diamond-encrusted crown along with her title to the night's winner, Heather Lehman, also a university student who had to withdraw to fulfill her pageant duties.       

Giaccone said despite how much being Miss Delaware meant to her, by mid-May she was ready to get back to being an average 21-year-old.

She said the night before her 21st birthday, the Miss Delaware director called her and reminded her she was not allowed to drink alcohol as Miss Delaware.

But partying was not an issue; rather, she was emotionally tired as well as anxious, and eager to begin a summer course for the Dental School Admission test.

  "I missed my roommates, I missed seeing familiar faces, I missed NDB — the bagel shop — and Brew Ha Ha," Giaccone said. "Most importantly, I missed school."

Her education was why she participated in pageantry in the first place, she said.

Giaccone said that when she was a senior in high school, her guidance counselor told her about the America's Junior Miss Scholarship Program.

"I didn't know anything about pageantry then," she said. "But I'd been playing the piano since I was a child, so I had a talent, and I needed scholarship money for college."

She won the title of Delaware's Junior Miss along with just under a full scholarship to the university.

From then on, she continued participating in pageants to raise money for dental school. However, she knew if she won Miss Delaware, she would have to put her schooling on hold.    

"I spoke it over with my parents and advisor," Giaccone said. "I knew if I won this I'd had to take a year off."

She was scared, but said she knew the scholarship money and experiences would assist her in becoming a dentist. She was willing to give up much of her free time and work hard for it.

Liza Giaccone, Galen's mother, said she did not foresee her daughter being in beauty pageants especially because Galen was a tom boy growing up.

"There is a higher chance that your son will play for the NFL than your daughter walking across the stage for Miss America," Liza said.

She said it was thrilling to see her child compete and do so well but even more so to watch Galen grow this past year into a professional, well-spoken and intelligent business woman.

Galen said taking on the role of Miss Delaware meant much more than looking pretty.

"I had 20 hour days," she said.

Besides not being able to spend time with her friends and family, Galen's days were filled with presentations on her pageant platform, Dental Outreach, as well as preparation for the Miss America Pageant on Jan. 24, in which she placed in the top 15 and took home a talent award for her piano playing.

But she is not complaining.

"Not many people get to take a year off for service," Galen said. "I met amazing people, networked, got interview practice. I signed that contract for a reason."

Galen also worked at Mercer Dental Associates in Dover a few days a week.

She said much of her time as Miss Delaware was spent in schools speaking to young people about oral hygiene, as well as drug and alcohol prevention.

"Kids are looking for a role model around every corner," Galen said. "And I had the opportunity to be that for them."

Children would frequently tell her they want to be like her when they grow up, be it a dentist or Miss Delaware, she said. 

"And that was worth it all," Galen said.

She said she is happy to be back at school and is putting her scholarship money to good use. She is a year behind, but moving forward.

Last Friday she took the Dental Admissions Test and is happy with her score.

"The Miss America Organization will always be a part of me, but I'm glad to be back," she said.