Miss Michigan 2022 Melissa Beyrand: ‘It’s unbelievable’ winning crown as first-time competitor

MUSKEGON, MI – It was Melissa Beyrand’s first run with the Miss America group, and she or he walked away a winner.

Beyrand, 22, of Milford, was topped Miss Michigan 2022 through the scholarship competitors on Saturday, June 18 at Orchard View Excessive Faculty in Muskegon.

“I really simply competed in my first native as Miss Oakland County in August. That is all a brand new expertise,” Beyrand mentioned throughout an interview with MLive instantly after profitable the title. “I nonetheless can’t even imagine it. I feel I’m in shock.”

Miss Michigan 2022 is Oakland County’s Melissa Beyrand

Regardless of being new to the competitors circuit, Beyrand has been performing her complete life and enjoying violin since she was 3 years outdated.

“It means completely the whole lot to me. It’s a possibility to advertise my social influence initiative in a manner I’ve by no means had the platform to do earlier than,” she mentioned.

As Miss Michigan, Beyrand will use the platform to advocate for her social influence initiative, “Ladies in Science, Know-how, Engineering, the Arts & Arithmetic (STEAM).” She intends to advertise integrating the humanities into the standard science, expertise, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum to extend pupil engagement and motivation, particularly amongst younger ladies.

Outgoing 2021 Miss Michigan Vivian Zhong topped her successor. She successfully used her platform to advocate for childhood most cancers round her social influence initiative, “Golden Warriors: Combat Like a Child.”

Zhong served as Miss Michigan whereas finishing her first yr of medical college in pursuit of changing into a pediatric oncologist.

Associated: Together with her reign winding down, Miss Michigan 2021 pursues profession in pediatric oncology

“I’ve been in a position to enter the hospitals and go to as Mulan in addition to Miss Michigan and simply convey some pleasure and magic into these youngsters’s lives,” she mentioned about her reign.

Beyrand earned the title, a $10,000 educational scholarship and the chance to compete within the Miss America 2023 program.

“It’s unbelievable,” she mentioned. “It’s not like something I may have imagined.”

As a 2022 College of Michigan graduate with a level in biomedical engineering, Beyrand believes there are confirmed advantages to the academic strategy of integrating the humanities and sciences.

“I need to work as Miss Michigan to get the humanities in our faculties. It’s massively useful to additional our STEM training work,” she mentioned.

Beyrand, who plans to pursue a grasp’s diploma in biomedical engineering on the College of Michigan within the fall, additionally had the chance to speak about her expertise as a girl within the sciences, when contestants may spotlight their social influence initiatives.

She opened with a chant: “Energy, parentheses, multiply, divide, add, subtract from left to proper.”

“After I first discovered the order of operations in my fourth-grade math class, I by no means would have imagined seeing it on the Miss Michigan stage,” Beyrand mentioned. “However it’s an ideal instance of how the combination of the humanities into conventional STEM-based studying permits educators to advertise creativity, curiosity and demanding considering expertise.”

“Particularly for younger women, STEAM helps them really feel that they’ve a spot in fields which have historically been dominated by males,” she continued.

Beyrand displayed class and dedication through the two-night Miss Michigan scholarship competitors. Twenty ladies sought the title by performing expertise, answering on-stage questions, sharing a social influence initiative and modeling night put on.

For her expertise, Beyrand waltzed on stage in a glittering crimson jumpsuit enjoying the “Last Countdown” by Europe on her violin — bending over backwards when the music peaked.

Associated: Miss Michigan 2022 first awards go to Miss Oakland County, Miss River Raisin Competition

Beyrand and Miss River Raisin Competition Laurel Hammis each obtained a preliminary award for finest expertise efficiency.

On Saturday, the highest 10 finalists answered questions on politics, present world affairs or social points. A choose requested Beyrand whether or not all U.S. residents needs to be required to indicate identification to vote.

“Whereas I feel it’s completely essential to take care of the integrity of elections in america, I don’t really feel that each one U.S. residents ought to have to indicate correct identification to vote,” she mentioned.

“There are various residents who’ve limitations to entry getting correct identification, and I don’t assume that ought to stop them from taking part in our electoral course of.”

Associated: See Miss Michigan 2022 expertise competitors, high pictures from opening night time

Through the night put on a part of the competitors, Beyrand continued to impress judges together with her poise by gracing the stage in a floor-length robe swirling with silver sequins.

Miss Michigan 2008 Ashlee Baracy-Kunkel served because the mistress of ceremonies through the competitors. Baracy-Kunkel was Miss Michigan 2008 and a high 10 contender for Miss America 2009.

This yr’s judges had been Holly Barraclough, Jason Paul Bertoia, Sarah Ledtke McCann, Tom Joppie and Jason Timothy Robinson.

Different winners included first runner-up Miss Nice Lakes Bay Sydney Papenhagen, second runner-up Miss River Raisin Competition Laurel Hammis, third runner-up Miss South Central Brooklynn Lambert and fourth runner-up Miss Monroe County Kendall Comer.

Miss Michigan’s Excellent Teen 2022 was topped Friday night. Miss Spirit of the State Grace Larsen earned the title with a musical theater dance routine, a health presentation, night robes and an on-stage query.

Extra on MLive:

Together with her reign winding down, Miss Michigan 2021 pursues profession in pediatric oncology

Miss Michigan scholarship competitors adjustments venue for 2022

Information to Miss Michigan 2022, that includes the 20 candidates