Gina Mellish Crowned Miss NJ USA
After months of preparation for the Miss New Jersey USA competition, Gina Mellish, senior fashion student at Marist, came out on top. Mellish earned her crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Nov. 24.
Q: What has the journey been like from winning Miss New Jersey Teen USA to Miss New Jersey USA?
A: I have completely transformed in the past four years from being a teen titleholder. As a teen, you are just starting your life and now I have a grasp on my life and what I want to do with it. The Miss title holds more weight to me because ever since I was little, my dream was to go to Miss USA and now I have the honor of doing so.
Q: How does it feel winning Miss NJ USA?
A: Working towards a goal every single day of your life for over a year and watching your dreams come to fruition is a very overwhelming experience! To be a part of the Miss USA sisterhood is something I have dreamt about for over a decade. I keep trying on the crown to make sure it’s real and I’m not dreaming. I am just feeling extremely grateful and blessed.
Q: What does the competition mean to you? Why do you compete?
A: I ultimately wanted to compete for Miss New Jersey USA to bring awareness to the work I have been doing with the One Love Foundation. I have reached a lot of people, but as Miss New Jersey USA I can touch the lives of so many more. Also, I know the connections that the Miss Universe Organization has and it is a fantastic place to gain connections in the fashion industry and aid me in my career goals.
Q: What was your onstage question and answer?
A: My onstage question was “If you could invent anything what would it be?” My answer was, “If I could invent something I would invent an opportunity for those who have been affected by domestic violence to be heard. When I was affected I felt like I didn’t have an outlet and I want to be an outlet for those affected. I have been working with an organization called the One Love Foundation where I am a trained facilitator to host the Escalation Training Workshop where I help educate young men and women on the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships so we can reduce the statistics of relationship abuse. One in every three women and one in every four men are affected and I was one of those statistics so to feel empowered by experience and help others has been an incredible opportunity. As Gina Mellish, I have been able to change so many lives, but as Miss New Jersey USA I would be about to touch the hearts of so many more people.”
Q: Which round was your favorite?
A: I absolutely love the evening gown portion of the competition. I felt so beautiful and confident and I had so much fun on stage competing. I think that sometimes gets overlooked. At the end of the day it’s a pageant and its supposed to be fun. Winning is extremely powerful and a huge responsibility but the actual competition itself is for you to showcase who you are and what you’re made of.
Q: Who was your biggest support system?
A: My parents have instilled an extremely hard work ethic in me which I am forever grateful for and have always gone the extra mile to hold my hand while I pursue my dreams. My boyfriend, Luis, was also a significant part in my preparation. He is a political science major so he really helped me prepare for all of the questions I could be asked about the political climate and current social movements. My best friends Megan Curran, a former Marist student, and Hailey Germano, the current Miss New York Teen USA, were also the most incredible support system.
Q: What did you want to prove or show by competing?
A: I never thought I had to prove anything to anyone except myself. I worked extremely hard preparing for the competition in the gym every single day, eating clean, improving my awareness and developing opinions on the current political climate and social movements, and all I wanted to do was prove to myself that if I put my trust in God and have a lot of passion and determination, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
Q: With this title, what does the future look like for you?
A: This year, I hope to do a lot of philanthropic appearances starting with the One Love Foundation. I will also be training for the Miss USA competition. We do not know where or when it will be held, as we are still waiting for some states to be crowned. But I am beyond passionate to bring awareness to the dangers of relationship violence to a national platform and expand One Love’s reach.