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American Morning

Interview With Miss Wisconsin

Aired July 11, 2003 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: They still look great in swimsuits and heels, but contestants in the Miss America Pageant now have something even more impressive to show, their resumes. The reigning Miss America is headed to Harvard Law School. Two of this year's competitors are Harvard grads and another is a child prodigy who became a doctor at age 22.
The Miss America Organization has said all along that its main event is a scholarship pageant, not a beauty contest. Joining us this morning from Green Bay, Wisconsin is Dr. Tina Marie Sauerhammer. She' is the current Miss Wisconsin and she'll be competing for the Miss America title come September.

Good morning to you, Tina Marie. Nice to see you.

TINA MARIE SAUERHAMMER, MISS WISCONSIN 2003: Good morning. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Let me just impress people for just a moment with your resume. At 14-years-old you started college. You just got your M.D., so we really should call you Dr. Miss Wisconsin. You had to leave your studies, though, in order to be able to compete for the Miss America pageant. You want to be a pediatric surgeon.

How did your professors and your mentors take it when you went to them to tell them that you're headed to a beauty pageant?

SAUERHAMMER: You know what? I actually spoke with them yesterday in Madison and they are all so excited. And a couple of them are actually coming to Atlantic City to watch me compete for Miss America. But they said that my title as Miss Wisconsin, and depending on what happens at Miss America, all of this is only going to help my chances of getting into a good residency program in surgery.

O'BRIEN: Miss America Organization has long called the pageant a scholarship pageant, not a beauty pageant. Do you think that this is part of your goal as well? Your goal is to win money?

SAUERHAMMER: Oh, absolutely. Being done with medical school, I have an incredible amount of student loans to pay off and this is a wonderful resource for me. The Miss America Organization is the world's leader in providing scholarships for young women. And I'm so proud to be a part of that.

O'BRIEN: I've read that you owe about $120,000 in basically loans for your schooling. But at the same time, while they call it a scholarship pageant, let's admit it, there's the ballgown part of the process. You've got the bathing suit competition as well. I mean, the focus there is not brains. It's really how good you look, how attractive you are, right?

SAUERHAMMER: I think there's a lot more to it than that, though. I think the reason for the swimsuit competition, evening gown competition is because we're looking for a well-rounded young woman, someone who has poise and confidence. And that shows through how someone carries themselves.

O'BRIEN: In a bathing suit? Come on, now.

I want to, though, talk a little bit about how you think the beauty pageants have changed from, let's say 10 or 15 or even 20 years ago. What do you think makes them more relevant to women your age? You mentioned you're 22-years-old. What makes it more relevant to women today?

SAUERHAMMER: Miss America Organization focuses on a platform issue. And that's something that each of the girls feel strongly about and something they promote throughout their communities. And so for that reason, I feel that this organization has come a long way and that each of us are here for a purpose.

O'BRIEN: You're competing against Miss Rhode Island, also Miss Virginia. They're both Harvard grads. Obviously, they're smart and they're talented, just like yourself. Do you think the profile of the competition is changing as well?

SAUERHAMMER: Absolutely. I think if you go on to the Miss America Web site and read the resumes of the 51 contestants, everyone will be amazed at how accomplished these young women are.

O'BRIEN: We should mention, Tina, that you have said if you get to have a national platform, you want to talk about organ donation. And I know that your dad was a long time and still is your inspiration. He died needing a kidney and wasn't able to get one.

Do you think today he'd be incredibly proud of what you've accomplished so far and what you;'re headed to do next?

SAUERHAMMER: I hope so and I know he's always with me and watching me from above. His goal for me was to see me graduate from medical school. And although he didn't see that, I know he's watching from above and he's always with me.

O'BRIEN: Let's say in September you win the Miss America contest. What happens with your studies? When do you become a pediatric surgeon?

SAUERHAMMER: I will delay -- I am taking my next year off before I start my residency, so I am applying for residency programs right now.

I have spoken with some of the physicians as to what would happen if I did become Miss America. And there are several options out there, including beginning my year in residency with research, taking some time off in the beginning. There's a lot that I can do.

O'BRIEN: Dr. Tina Marie Sauerhammer, thanks for joining us, Miss Wisconsin. And good luck to you in September. We'll be rooting for you.

O'BRIEN: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 11, 2003 - 09:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: They still look great in swimsuits and heels, but contestants in the Miss America Pageant now have something even more impressive to show, their resumes. The reigning Miss America is headed to Harvard Law School. Two of this year's competitors are Harvard grads and another is a child prodigy who became a doctor at age 22.
The Miss America Organization has said all along that its main event is a scholarship pageant, not a beauty contest. Joining us this morning from Green Bay, Wisconsin is Dr. Tina Marie Sauerhammer. She' is the current Miss Wisconsin and she'll be competing for the Miss America title come September.

Good morning to you, Tina Marie. Nice to see you.

TINA MARIE SAUERHAMMER, MISS WISCONSIN 2003: Good morning. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Let me just impress people for just a moment with your resume. At 14-years-old you started college. You just got your M.D., so we really should call you Dr. Miss Wisconsin. You had to leave your studies, though, in order to be able to compete for the Miss America pageant. You want to be a pediatric surgeon.

How did your professors and your mentors take it when you went to them to tell them that you're headed to a beauty pageant?

SAUERHAMMER: You know what? I actually spoke with them yesterday in Madison and they are all so excited. And a couple of them are actually coming to Atlantic City to watch me compete for Miss America. But they said that my title as Miss Wisconsin, and depending on what happens at Miss America, all of this is only going to help my chances of getting into a good residency program in surgery.

O'BRIEN: Miss America Organization has long called the pageant a scholarship pageant, not a beauty pageant. Do you think that this is part of your goal as well? Your goal is to win money?

SAUERHAMMER: Oh, absolutely. Being done with medical school, I have an incredible amount of student loans to pay off and this is a wonderful resource for me. The Miss America Organization is the world's leader in providing scholarships for young women. And I'm so proud to be a part of that.

O'BRIEN: I've read that you owe about $120,000 in basically loans for your schooling. But at the same time, while they call it a scholarship pageant, let's admit it, there's the ballgown part of the process. You've got the bathing suit competition as well. I mean, the focus there is not brains. It's really how good you look, how attractive you are, right?

SAUERHAMMER: I think there's a lot more to it than that, though. I think the reason for the swimsuit competition, evening gown competition is because we're looking for a well-rounded young woman, someone who has poise and confidence. And that shows through how someone carries themselves.

O'BRIEN: In a bathing suit? Come on, now.

I want to, though, talk a little bit about how you think the beauty pageants have changed from, let's say 10 or 15 or even 20 years ago. What do you think makes them more relevant to women your age? You mentioned you're 22-years-old. What makes it more relevant to women today?

SAUERHAMMER: Miss America Organization focuses on a platform issue. And that's something that each of the girls feel strongly about and something they promote throughout their communities. And so for that reason, I feel that this organization has come a long way and that each of us are here for a purpose.

O'BRIEN: You're competing against Miss Rhode Island, also Miss Virginia. They're both Harvard grads. Obviously, they're smart and they're talented, just like yourself. Do you think the profile of the competition is changing as well?

SAUERHAMMER: Absolutely. I think if you go on to the Miss America Web site and read the resumes of the 51 contestants, everyone will be amazed at how accomplished these young women are.

O'BRIEN: We should mention, Tina, that you have said if you get to have a national platform, you want to talk about organ donation. And I know that your dad was a long time and still is your inspiration. He died needing a kidney and wasn't able to get one.

Do you think today he'd be incredibly proud of what you've accomplished so far and what you;'re headed to do next?

SAUERHAMMER: I hope so and I know he's always with me and watching me from above. His goal for me was to see me graduate from medical school. And although he didn't see that, I know he's watching from above and he's always with me.

O'BRIEN: Let's say in September you win the Miss America contest. What happens with your studies? When do you become a pediatric surgeon?

SAUERHAMMER: I will delay -- I am taking my next year off before I start my residency, so I am applying for residency programs right now.

I have spoken with some of the physicians as to what would happen if I did become Miss America. And there are several options out there, including beginning my year in residency with research, taking some time off in the beginning. There's a lot that I can do.

O'BRIEN: Dr. Tina Marie Sauerhammer, thanks for joining us, Miss Wisconsin. And good luck to you in September. We'll be rooting for you.

O'BRIEN: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com