MANSFIELD — Lora Current would love to be crowned Miss America in December.
But the 20-year-old has a different goal in mind when asked how she wants her year-long reign as Miss Ohio to be remembered.
“I want to serve others. Maybe that is encouraging students, maybe it’s serving at an event. There is a quote people say all the time. It sounds cliche, but it’s ‘People won’t remember what you say and they may not remember what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel.’
“And if I can walk out of a classroom of students and make them feel empowered, make them feel worthy, make them feel loved in a way they don’t normally do, that’s a success for me,” Current said Friday during a visit to Idea Works in downtown Mansfield.
That doesn’t mean the Champaign County native wouldn’t love to be the next Miss America as the organization celebrates its 100th birthday.
Current earned her statewide crown at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield on June 20 and immediately turned her attention to the national competition. She won the Miss Ohio title in her first attempt at the competition.
“It’s been exciting, very exciting and very busy,” Current said, including an orientation with other contestants in Connecticut, where the competition will take place at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Uncasville.
A senior social work major at The Ohio State University, Current is practicing her planned jazz dance talent. She is also shopping for the necessary wardrobe. But her primary focus has been prepping for the competition interviews.
“I am somebody, and I think the Miss Ohio program is somebody, that really believes the competition is won during the interview,” Current said. “So that’s something I want to pour myself into, because that’s where I can share my heart. I can share my goals.”
That preparation has included many mock interviews with a variety of question topics, all aimed at helping her shape and refine her answers, working to keep her responses to under 30 seconds.
Believe it or not, it’s the “fluff” questions that tend to give Current the most trouble.
“I am a very direct, get-to-the-point person. Ask me questions about current events. Ask me questions about facts. Ask me questions about my opinion and I can give that to you. Where I am not so good are the ‘fluff’ questions.
“If you ask me, ‘What do you like to do for fun?’ It’s like, well, I am a busy person so that’s a harder question for me to answer. So I am working on trying to wrap my head around those kinds of question and coming off as intelligent,” Current said with a laugh.
Her busy schedules includes classes at OSU with a planned graduation at the end of summer 2022. She is also working as an intern in the state legislature. And also traveling the state in her role as Miss Ohio.
“I love working with people,” she said of her chosen career path. “I think my goal as far back as I can remember is just to serve people. I attribute that to my parents, who are wonderful servants to our community and our family.
“That’s the goal I have, not just as Miss Ohio, but for the rest of my life — how do I serve people best,” Current said.
That path could be in social work on the micro level or the policy-making macro level. It may even include running for elected office, putting her in a position to help create public policy.
“Yes,” Current said when asked if she would run day enter the political competition. “It’s not a for-sure thing. My faith is the biggest part of my life … keeping an eye on God and asking, ‘Where do you want me to be?’ But I think that would be an ideal situation.”
