Deidre Downs
Deidre Downs (born July 7, 1980), was the 2005 Miss America], and is an aspiring pediatrician from Pelham. As part of her year of service as Miss America, she campaigned for childhood cancer research, founding a high school volunteer program and created Alabama's Curing Childhood Cancer specialty license plate. She is an official spokesperson for the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.
For her talent, she sang a rendition of the ballad "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love". Downs succeeded 2004 Miss America Ericka Dunlap and was succeeded by the current Miss America, Jennifer Berry.
Downs attended Pelham High School and volunteered during high school at Camp Smile-A-Mile and Children's Hospital. She earned a volleyball scholarship to the University of Virginia. While there she was accepted to the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. She then transferred to Samford University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in history. She was a Rhodes Scholar finalist, and also played volleyball while at Samford. She plans to attend medical school at UAB.
External links
- Deidre Downs official website
References
- "Deidre Downs." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2 May 2006, 10:38 UTC. 2 May 2006, 17:59 [1].
- "America Supports You: Miss America Breaks Bread With Soldiers", By Spc. Jonathan Montgomery, USA, American Forces Press Service