My Journey within the Miss America Opportunity

By McKenzie Hegarty

The Miss America Opportunity has helped shape me into the woman I am today. I received my very first title in 2019, almost seven years ago, and I have been impacted by this organization ever since. 

Pageantry was always something that interested me, especially growing up in the musical theatre world as a classically trained vocalist. After spending nine years as a competitive Irish step dancer, being on stage always felt like home. I also participated in forensic public speaking throughout much of my childhood, which further strengthened my confidence and love for communication. When I was introduced to the Miss America Opportunity and learned more about the talent competition, interview process, public speaking, and community service aspects, I immediately knew I had found where I belonged. Everything I loved was brought together within one organization.

Competing at Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen 2020 was my very first pageant experience, where I placed 4th Runner-Up and won the talent competition. From that moment on, I truly caught the “pageant bug.” I later competed in the Miss division and became a Top 10 finalist at Miss New Jersey in both 2022 and 2023. While attending the University of Delaware, I was eligible to compete for Miss Delaware, where I placed 2nd Runner-Up overall in 2024.

In 2025, I decided to take a year away from competition for personal reasons. However, the life lessons and challenges I experienced during that time taught me so much about myself and strengthened me in ways I never expected. Today, I feel more prepared than ever to return to the Miss New Jersey stage.

One of the most meaningful parts of my journey has been my community service initiative, “Check, Protect, and Inspect Your Heart,” which focuses on raising awareness about the importance of preventative heart screenings and cardiac health education. This cause became deeply personal to me after my father nearly lost his life to coronary artery disease. A heart scan ultimately detected the issue before he suffered a major heart attack, leading to a lifesaving quadruple bypass surgery at just 49 years old. He was healthy, active, and had no warning signs of heart disease. While my father’s story had a positive outcome, many others are not as fortunate.

Through this initiative, I launched my own podcast where I interview healthcare professionals, patients, and advocates to discuss the importance of heart screenings and overall heart health awareness. I have also partnered with organizations including the American Heart Association and, more recently, the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association of Denville, New Jersey.

My passion for this mission grew even stronger during my time as President of Alpha Phi at the University of Delaware. Alpha Phi’s philanthropy centers around women’s heart health and supporting the American Heart Association. During my leadership, our chapter raised over $100,000 through fundraising events, philanthropy initiatives, and volunteer work. Being able to lead those efforts was one of the greatest honors of my college experience.

Between my father’s story, Miss America’s partnership with the American Heart Association, and Alpha Phi’s longstanding commitment to heart health advocacy, I knew this was the path I was meant to pursue. Heart disease remains the number one killer in America, and I am committed to using my voice to advocate for education, prevention, and lifesaving screenings.
In 2025, I graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in professional selling and sales management. I am currently pursuing broadcast journalism while working as a reporter for The Pulse USA in Morristown, New Jersey, and as a vocal coach at Denville Music Academy.

As the Miss New Jersey competition approaches, I am grateful for the opportunity to return to this stage. I look forward to continuing to use my voice to inspire, advocate, and serve across the state of New Jersey.

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McKenzie Hegarty is the current Miss Bergen County (NJ). You can follow her on Instagram. 

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.