EMU Today

YPSILANTI — Rylee Clairday is an Honors student at Eastern Michigan University by day and a pageant-winning scholar during her free time. Recently, she was crowned Miss Washtenaw County 2024, which earned her two educational scholarships. 

Sponsored by the Miss America Organization, Miss Washtenaw County is the first step toward the title of Miss America and has awarded more than $175,000 in scholarships throughout the last 25 years. The pageant presents two titleholders each year, Miss Washtenaw County and Miss Washtenaw County’s Outstanding Teen. Together, they use their platforms to promote community service and change the lives of young girls. 

Clairday is majoring in psychology and minoring in business at EMU. She hopes to study social work for her master’s after completing her undergraduate studies. Being involved in different things around campus excels in her drive for community service. She is an administrative assistant in the Counseling and Psychological Service, the president of Circle K International, a speaker of the House of Representatives, and volunteers for Special Olympics. 

Every Miss America Organization contestant has to present their community service initiative: an integral part of the interview process that represents the four points of the winning crown, style, scholarship, service, and success. Clairday’s initiative is Disability Acceptance: Breaking Barriers and Building Pathways. She states that breaking down social and physical barriers related to different disabilities and helping create opportunities and pathways for a group that does not have them is what she advocates for. “Each person with a disability has a unique experience and it is our job as able-bodied persons to listen to these experiences and learn from them,” said Clairday.

Clairday has been granted a $1,200 scholarship from the Miss Washtenaw County Scholarship Program. EMU has been supporting this pageant for over 20 years and also granted her a $1,000 in-kind scholarship.

Six other Eastern students participated in the pageant, three of which placed. The first runner-up was Honors student band member Hailie Medley, the second was Honors student choir club member Emilee Breitner, and the third was band twirler, MacKenon Tyrrell. The three other students who participated were Jenna Engberts, Olivia Wood, and Celeste Milligan. 

“I am really grateful for this opportunity. Being a volunteer of community service is a big part of my identity and having the opportunity to give back to the county in another capacity is a true honor,” said Clairday. “I am just getting started and have big plans for the people of Washtenaw County.”

This is Clairday’s fourth pageant within the Miss America Organization and she plans to participate in Miss Michigan this June. If you would like to learn more about this organization and the scholarship program, you can contact Clairday at rclairda@emich.edu or visit the Miss Washtenaw County website. 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.