Recent graduate of UGA crowned Miss Georgia

Annie Jorgensen, 22, lives in Athens and has a degree in journalism.

Annie Jorgensen, a recent University of Georgia graduate, was crowned Miss Georgia on Saturday night after a week of competition in Columbus.

Jorgensen, 22, won the overall interview, on-stage question and evening wear awards before receiving the crown at Saturday’s pageant. She performed a jazz dance to the standard “That’s Life” in the talent portion, balancing advanced choreography with engaging stage presence.

During the on-stage question portion, Jorgensen was asked what issues may be given higher priority if women made up at least 50 percent of the U.S. Congress. Jorgensen said that women’s rights would likely receive more attention, and that women should be empowered to have a voice in the home, their community and politics. Jorgensen also won a preliminary award for on-stage question on Tuesday night during preliminary competition.

A native of Mequon, Wisconsin, Jorgensen lives in Athens and graduated from the University of Georgia in May with a degree in journalism. She is a pageant veteran, having competed at Miss Georgia three times and previously serving as Miss High School America 2013 and Miss Wisconsin’s Outstanding Teen 2011. She served as Miss University of Georgia in 2016.

Jorgensen will go on to compete at the Miss America competition in September.

Miss Fulton County, Chari Guzman, was named first runner-up. She performed Tina Turner’s version of “Proud Mary,” a crowd favorite complete with full choreography and a fringed costume. Guzman won a talent preliminary award for that performance earlier in the week, as well as a preliminary on-stage question award. She was also presented with the pageant’s medical studies award and the Hostess Award at an event before the pageant.

Miss Atlanta, Brooke Doss, was named second runner-up in the pageant, performing a ballet en pointe routine to music from the opera “Carmen.” Doss won preliminary swimsuit and talent awards earlier in the week.

Victoria Hill, Miss Cobb County, was third runner-up and won the overall talent award for a performance of an aria from the opera “La Fille du Regiment.” She also won talent and swimsuit preliminaries earlier in the week’s competition.

Miss Historic Buford, Alexa Gilomen, rounded out the top five as fourth runner-up. Gilomen, who made it to Hollywood Week on the 13th season of “American Idol,” performed a jazzy, sloweddown version of The Cure’s “Love Song,” earning a preliminary talent award.

The top 10 also included Miss Johns Creek, Stephanie Gargiulo; Miss University of Georgia, Holly Haynes; Miss Rome, Taylor Burrell; Miss Historic Southern Plains, Sarah DeLoach; and Miss Capital City, Paula Smith.

Annie Jorgensen will go on to compete at the Miss America competition in September.