Marina Harrison
Encyclopedia
Marina Harrison is a former beauty queen from Maryland
who was the first woman to represent that state at both Miss USA
and Miss America
.
Harrison was born in Fort Sill
, Oklahoma, grew up as a military brat
, living in locations all around the United States.
2002 pageant held in June 2002, where she placed fourth runner-up. She returned in 2003 as Miss Burtonsville, and won the Miss Maryland
2003 title. Harrison represented Maryland in the Miss America
2004 pageant held in Atlantic City, New Jersey
in September 2003. She placed third runner-up in the nationally televised pageant, which was won by Ericka Dunlap
of Florida
.
After giving up her Miss Maryland crown, Harrison competed in and won the Miss Maryland USA
pageant, which was held in North Bethesda, Maryland
in December 2004. Representing Maryland in the Miss USA 2005
pageant held in Baltimore
in her home state in April 2005, Harrison placed in the top ten, and was the first delegate from Maryland to make the cut since 1995. In November 2005 she passed on her crown to Melissa DiGiulian
of Ocean City
who has been her first runner-up the year previously.
in 2003 after collecting more than $52,000 in scholarship money from her pageant participation. Her aspiration is to become White House press secretary
and she has been active in all levels of politics. She worked in the Foreign Service Institute
of the US Department of State in Arlington, Virginia for three years. She was employed as the Public Information Officer and Director of International Affairs for the Maryland office of the Secretary of State in the Governor's Executive Department. She has previously worked for the Maryland Department of Education and was involved with the former First Lady of Maryland Kendel Ehrlich's Maryland Teen Advisory Council initiatives. Her first experience with the public education policy came when she was by her peers and appointed by the governor to be the Anne Arundel County Student Board Member at age seventeen. At the time she was the only full voting student board member in the United States.
In 2007 Harrison became the new special assistant to Anne Arundel County executive John R. Leopold
, with responsibility for communications, media and policy.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
who was the first woman to represent that state at both Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
and Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
.
Harrison was born in Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma, grew up as a military brat
Military brat
A military brat describes people who spend their childhood or adolescence while a parent serve full-time in the armed forces, and can also refer to the unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats, the term refers to both current and former children of such families.Lifestyle: The...
, living in locations all around the United States.
Pageantry
Harrison entered her first pageant at age 21 in the hope of gaining scholarship money after her parents were unable to pay her tuition costs. Harrison first competed in the Miss MarylandMiss Maryland
The Miss Maryland competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Maryland in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
2002 pageant held in June 2002, where she placed fourth runner-up. She returned in 2003 as Miss Burtonsville, and won the Miss Maryland
Miss Maryland
The Miss Maryland competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Maryland in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
2003 title. Harrison represented Maryland in the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
2004 pageant held in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
in September 2003. She placed third runner-up in the nationally televised pageant, which was won by Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Orlando, Florida who was named Miss Florida 2003 and subsequently crowned Miss America 2004. Dunlap was the first African American woman to be crowned Miss Florida....
of Florida
Miss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
.
After giving up her Miss Maryland crown, Harrison competed in and won the Miss Maryland USA
Miss Maryland USA
The Miss Maryland USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Maryland in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
pageant, which was held in North Bethesda, Maryland
North Bethesda, Maryland
North Bethesda is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It borders the city of Rockville, and is closely associated with the city.-Geography:...
in December 2004. Representing Maryland in the Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005...
pageant held in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in her home state in April 2005, Harrison placed in the top ten, and was the first delegate from Maryland to make the cut since 1995. In November 2005 she passed on her crown to Melissa DiGiulian
Melissa DiGiulian
Melissa Nicole DiGiulian is a beauty queen from Ocean City, Maryland who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.DiGiulian won the Miss Maryland USA 2006 title in a state pageant held in late 2005...
of Ocean City
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
who has been her first runner-up the year previously.
Education and Employment
Harrison received a bachelor's degree in communications and public relations from the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 2003 after collecting more than $52,000 in scholarship money from her pageant participation. Her aspiration is to become White House press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
and she has been active in all levels of politics. She worked in the Foreign Service Institute
Foreign Service Institute
The Foreign Service Institute is the United States Federal Government's primary training institution for employees of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests overseas and in Washington...
of the US Department of State in Arlington, Virginia for three years. She was employed as the Public Information Officer and Director of International Affairs for the Maryland office of the Secretary of State in the Governor's Executive Department. She has previously worked for the Maryland Department of Education and was involved with the former First Lady of Maryland Kendel Ehrlich's Maryland Teen Advisory Council initiatives. Her first experience with the public education policy came when she was by her peers and appointed by the governor to be the Anne Arundel County Student Board Member at age seventeen. At the time she was the only full voting student board member in the United States.
In 2007 Harrison became the new special assistant to Anne Arundel County executive John R. Leopold
John R. Leopold
John Robinson Leopold is an American Republican politician and was formerly a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. In 2006, he was elected Anne Arundel County Executive.-Biography:...
, with responsibility for communications, media and policy.