Victoria Muir Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Victoria Muir is a STEM advocate, a Phillies fan, and the current Miss Capital. She will also mark the

third straight visitor from the state of Delaware! I was thrilled she was able to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So let's see what happens when Victoria Muir visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Capital crown?

I celebrated with my biggest role model and my best friend - my mom, Julia! My mom has been my biggest support in my Miss Delaware journey. After winning Miss Capital, I went out to dinner with my mom. We talked about how exciting it is to compete in Miss Delaware for the second time this year!

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Capital competition that will help you at Miss Delaware?

Preparation is key in Miss America, and I think that preparation is one of my biggest strengths. I practiced interview questions for weeks leading up the competition, and I was diligent about practicing my talent performance as well. I felt more prepared for this competition than ever before, and I think my preparedness helped me succeed. 

What are you most looking forward to about your time as Miss Capital?

I have my eye on the prize this year competing in Miss Delaware, and I cannot think of a better way to prepare for the state title than getting to represent the capital of the state, Dover! I am looking forward to exploring Dover this year and partnering with Dover-based organizations to promote my social impact initiative - Celebrating Women in STEM. 

How did you select your social impact initiative “Celebrating Women in STEM”?

Science has always been my biggest passion. I am a chemical

engineer by training, and I am currently pursuing my PhD in Bioengineering at University of Pennsylvania. Women are underrepresented in science, and the lack of diversity in science stifles innovation. I strive to be a role model for young girls to show them that no matter their background, they are needed in STEM!

For your talent, you’ll be performing a science experiment. What goes into selecting the best experiment to show off?

Picking a science experiment for a Miss America talent is the most difficult yet most fun part of the entire competition prep. The science has to be 1) big enough to fill a stage, 2) quick enough to happen in less than 90 seconds, 3) affordable, and 4) easy to setup/take down. Plus, the talent can't involve fire, and I also can't have the help of anyone else. These challenges are hugely difficult to navigate in selecting a dramatic science demo, but also a super fun problem for me to think about. I can tell you this - I will be engineering something super cool for the Miss Delaware stage!

If you could be any Marvel character for a week, which would it be? Why?

I would love to be Spiderman! I always loved playing on playgrounds and climbing up in trees as a kid. I think it would be so cool to swing around buildings for a day! Plus, I am fascinated by spider webs - the material that spiders make their webs out of has some amazing properties that can be used in biomedical research for wound healing and surgical glue. How cool is that!

As a Phillies fan, who is your favorite Red Sox player? Why?

I will preface by saying I am most avidly a football fan, but I grew up close to my grandpa who is a baseball history enthusiast and a Boston native. Because of his inspiration, I have done a little research into baseball history. So, I would pick Cy Young as my favorite Red Sox player of all time. He lead the Red Sox to the win the first World Series in 1903, and I think that is a pretty cool legacy to leave, along with his numerous other accomplishments!

Which Phillies player have you most enjoyed watching this season?

Of course, our entire city was ecstatic about Bryce Harper joining the Phillies this season. While it may have been a rocky start, it looks like things are picking up steam for Harper and the Phillies. I know he will be an exciting player to watch the rest of the season and many more seasons to come!

Is there a feature or aspect of a game at Fenway Park that you’d especially like to experience?

Fenway Park is rich in baseball history and American history in general. I lived in Boston for a summer, and I could feel the energy and loyalty the city has to the Red Sox and Fenway. It is on my bucket list to take my grandpa to a game at Fenway. I think that would be a magical experience for us both!

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That sounds like it would be a lot of fun!

As always, I want to thank Victoria for doing this interview, and for allowing me to use the amazing pictures. They really make the post much better. I also want to wish Victoria luck when she competes for Miss Delaware! It would be so exciting to have her take home that crown.

As Victoria continues her time as Miss Capital, I encourage you to follow her on her Instagram page. It’s a great way to keep up with everything she has going on! 

Thanks again Victoria, and good luck!