RIVER NORTH — A River North woman and current Columbia College student was named second runner-up at the Miss USA Pageant held in Las Vegas Sunday.
Stacie Juris, 22, is the first pageant contestant to represent Illinois in Miss USA pageants at both a teen and adult level. The fashion business major was named Miss Illinois Teen USA in 2009, after which she competed for the national teen title, but didn't place.
On Sunday, Juris won the third-highest title, placing behind first runner-up Mary-Margaret McCord from Alabama and Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady of Connecticut.
Juris hopes to dedicate the rest of her life to the pageant business. According to her official biography, she's studying fashion at Columbia and "hopes to one day open her own dress boutique, specializing in prom, pageant and bridal gowns."
The Tinley Park native operates a freelance hair and makeup business called "The Queen Team" out of Chicago. The shop was temporarily closed, with a message posted on her website: "Sorry, This Website is down while Stacie Juris prepares for the Miss USA Pageant."
On her bio page, Juris called pageants a "life-changing" experience.
"Being involved in pageants has given me a different insight to just how life-changing the experience can be," she said. "I've learned life skills that are absolutely relevant, not only to winning a pageant, but to being successful in business, politics and education."
