Loren McDaniel

Loren Alyssa McDaniel (born November 3, 1992) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Van Buren, Arkansas, who was crowned Miss Arkansas 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015 and placed in the Top 15.
Pageant career
Early pageants
In January 2013, McDaniel won the Miss Arkansas River 2013 title.<ref name="msar13rv"/> She competed in the 2013 Miss Arkansas pageant with the platform "Act On It, Arkansas: HIV/AIDS Awareness" and a vocal performance of "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from the musical The Phantom of the Opera in the talent portion of the competition.<ref name="msam2013"/><ref name="uark130717"/> She placed in the Top 15 but was not a Top 5 finalist for the state title.<ref name="msar13rv"/><ref name="katv130720"/><ref name="magr130721"/>
On September 21, 2013, McDaniel won the Miss Spirit of Arkansas 2014 title.<ref name="mssoar14"/> She competed in the 2014 Miss Arkansas pageant with the platform "Confidently You" and a vocal performance in the talent portion of the competition.<ref name="msam2014"/> She was named was second runner-up to winner Ashton Campbell.<ref name="nadg150712"/>
Miss Arkansas 2015
On January 31, 2015, McDaniel was crowned Miss Northwest Arkansas 2015 and qualified for a third time to compete for Miss Arkansas.<ref name="prac150613"/><ref name="katv150711"/> She entered the Miss Arkansas pageant at the Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs in early July 2015 as one of 46 qualifiers for the state title.<ref name="wmct150707"/><ref name="katv150709"/><ref name="brhe150711"/><ref name="magr150710a"/> McDaniel's competition talent was a vocal performance of "Piece of Sky" from the Yentl soundtrack.<ref name="nadg150712"/><ref name="katv150711"/> Her platform is "Confidently You", focused on ending bullying and domestic violence.<ref name="nadg150712"/>
McDaniel won the competition on Saturday, July 11, 2015, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Arkansas titleholder Ashton Campbell.<ref name="katv150711"/><ref name="brhe150711"/> She earned $20,000 in scholarship money plus more than $75,000 in wardrobe, transportation, and other prizes from the state pageant.<ref name="nadg150712"/><ref name="magr150711"/><ref name="msar15sc"/> McDaniel also won the Service Before Self Award, the Overall Interview Award, and was named Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Maker.<ref name="magr150711"/> As Miss Arkansas, her activities include public appearances across the state of Arkansas.<ref name="magr150711"/>
Vying for Miss America 2016
McDaniel was Arkansas's representative at the Miss America 2016 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 2015.<ref name="katv150711"/><ref name="kthv150711"/><ref name="msam2015"/> In the televised finale on September 13, 2015, she placed in the Top 15 as a semi-finalist but was eliminated after the swimsuit competition. McDaniel was awarded a $4,000 scholarship prize.<ref name="msam16show"/><ref name="msam150916"/>
Personal life and education
McDaniel is a native of Van Buren, Arkansas, and a graduate of Van Buren High School.<ref name="nadg150712"/><ref name="prac150613"/> While enrolled there, McDaniel was named Miss Van Buren High School.<ref name="prac150613"/> She was one of three women competing for Miss Arkansas 2015 to have held that high school title.<ref name="prac150613"/> Her father is Kevin McDaniel and her mother is Melissa McDaniel.<ref name="prac150613"/><ref name="magr150711"/>
McDaniel graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in theater.<ref name="katv150711"/><ref name="magr150711"/> While a student at Arkansas, McDaniel became a member of the Kappa Delta sorority.<ref name="fran2015"/>

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