Miss Texas 2014 Monique Evans is trying to become Miss America 2015 on Sunday night.
The 22-year-old hails from Austin.
Her platform issue is Remember Your Heart: One Beat at A Time, which works to raise awareness about the No. 1 cause of death in the United States and was inspired by cardiac issues in her family.
One of the issues was her father suffering a heart attack while jogging at age 60. He was saved, but has a pacemaker now.
“He loves his steak and potatoes. Don’t we all, but you have to have it in moderation,” she told the Press of Atlantic City, adding that stress also contributed to her father’s condition.
Watching what he endured, she said, inspired her to work to help others live healthy lives to prevent heart disease. “I love my dad. I wouldn’t be where I am now without him.”
As for her personal and professional ambitions, Evans would like to obtain a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine degree and pursue a career in Preventative and Integrated Medicine.
She is currently a nutritional science pre-med major at The University of Texas.
She noted that she’s an experienced traveler, having been to 87 countries, but would like to visit more places--including Antarctica.
