Betsy Uschkrat's crowning achievement
July 18, 2006
Miss Indiana Betsy Uschkrat
Betsy Uschkrat, the newly crowned Miss Indiana, has a sparkly headpiece, a bright future in music and a desire to help those less fortunate. She also has a gift for understatement.
"I was hoping that I would do well here at Indiana [University]," she says.
Uschkrat moved to Bloomington last August to attend the IU Jacobs School of Music. She hails from Houston, where she won the Miss Houston title and placed sixth in the Miss Texas competition. The soprano made her debut with IU Opera Theater as the lead in last season's Roméo et Juliette and will perform the lead role in IU Opera's production of Manon, scheduled for October. She was also a member of the Jacobs Symphonic Choir. Uschkrat is a student of Costanza Cuccaro.
She was crowned Miss IU in February, automatically qualifying her for last month's Miss Indiana competition. Her performance of an aria from La Boheme helped seal Uschkrat's victory that night. Now, she will compete for the Miss America crown in January.
A passionate activist to end hunger in Indiana, Uschkrat founded Heart and Soul Indiana and has been named the state spokesperson for Feeding Indiana's Hungry.
"My experience at the Jacobs School of Music has changed my life for the better. I have had an amazing experience being involved in IU Opera Theater productions, the choral department and ensemble, the high-quality course work and my outstanding private lessons and coaching," she said. "The Jacobs School truly works to prepare the classical musician academically, emotionally and professionally."
