LauRen Merola
Encyclopedia
LauRen Merola is a model and beauty queen from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
who competed in the Miss USA
pageant in 2008.
Merola competed in her first Miss Universe Organization
pageant in 1998 when she was a semi-finalist at Miss Florida Teen USA
1999. She later placed fourth runner-up at Miss Florida Teen USA 2002, was a semi-finalist at Miss Florida USA
2003, placed third runner-up at Miss Florida USA 2004 and a semi-finalist at Miss Florida USA 2006. She also competed for the Miss Florida
2006 title in the Miss America
system. After moving to Pennsylvania
Merola competed in the Miss Pennsylvania
pageant in June 2007 and did not place, although she was a swimsuit preliminary award winner. Later that year Merola won the Miss Pennsylvania USA
2008 title in a state pageant held in Pittsburgh on 18 November.
Merola went on to represent Pennsylvania in the Miss USA 2008
pageant broadcast live from Las Vegas, Nevada
on April 11, 2008, and had the most prior state experience of any contestant in that pageant. She placed fourth runner-up in the national competition, the highest placement for her state since Michele McDonald
won the Miss USA title in 1971 and Pennsylvania's second placement in fifteen years.
Merola grew up in Baldwin, Pennsylvania but moved to Florida
in eighth grade. She is a 2002 graduate of Piper High School
in Sunrise, Florida
and a 2006 graduate of Broward Community College
with an associate's degree in broadcast communications. She currently works as a Sales and Marketing executive for a stage lighting company. For three years Merola was a Miami Dolphins
cheerleader.
Currently Merola is one of the hosts of the Orange Carpet on Dolphins game days at Sun Life Stadium and joins The Finsiders as she chats live with Finatics during 940 AM WINZ.
Merola is a supporter of Hillary Clinton introduced Clinton at a campaign event in California University
in California, Pennsylvania
in April 2008.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
who competed in the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant in 2008.
Merola competed in her first Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
pageant in 1998 when she was a semi-finalist at Miss Florida Teen USA
Miss Florida Teen USA
The Miss Florida Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Florida ties with Illinois for most Miss Photogenic awards...
1999. She later placed fourth runner-up at Miss Florida Teen USA 2002, was a semi-finalist at Miss Florida USA
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
2003, placed third runner-up at Miss Florida USA 2004 and a semi-finalist at Miss Florida USA 2006. She also competed for the Miss Florida
Miss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
2006 title in the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
system. After moving to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Merola competed in the Miss Pennsylvania
Miss Pennsylvania
The Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America Pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss American crown on 5 occasions....
pageant in June 2007 and did not place, although she was a swimsuit preliminary award winner. Later that year Merola won the Miss Pennsylvania USA
Miss Pennsylvania USA
The Miss Pennsylvania USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss USA pageant.Michele McDonald is Pennsylvania's only Miss USA so far. At only eighteen, she was one of the youngest competitors ever to win the crown...
2008 title in a state pageant held in Pittsburgh on 18 November.
Merola went on to represent Pennsylvania in the Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee...
pageant broadcast live from Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
on April 11, 2008, and had the most prior state experience of any contestant in that pageant. She placed fourth runner-up in the national competition, the highest placement for her state since Michele McDonald
Michele McDonald
Michele McDonald is a pageant titleholder from Butler, Pennsylvania who held the Miss USA 1971 title.Encouraged to enter the competition by her mother, McDonald won Miss Pennsylvania USA title in early May 1971. Later that month she then represented her state in the Miss USA pageant, held in Miami...
won the Miss USA title in 1971 and Pennsylvania's second placement in fifteen years.
Merola grew up in Baldwin, Pennsylvania but moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in eighth grade. She is a 2002 graduate of Piper High School
Piper High School (Florida)
Piper High School is a public high school located in Sunrise, Florida, one of the nation's fastest growing cities. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district....
in Sunrise, Florida
Sunrise, Florida
-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...
and a 2006 graduate of Broward Community College
Broward Community College
Broward College, previously known as "Broward Community College", is a state college in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., and part of the Florida College System. It was established in 1959 as part of a move to broaden Florida's two-year community college system...
with an associate's degree in broadcast communications. She currently works as a Sales and Marketing executive for a stage lighting company. For three years Merola was a Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
cheerleader.
Currently Merola is one of the hosts of the Orange Carpet on Dolphins game days at Sun Life Stadium and joins The Finsiders as she chats live with Finatics during 940 AM WINZ.
Merola is a supporter of Hillary Clinton introduced Clinton at a campaign event in California University
California University
California University can refer to:* California University of Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh suburb of California, Pennsylvania* Fictional universities featured in television shows and movies such as Beverly Hills, 90210, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Legally Blonde and The L WordThe State...
in California, Pennsylvania
California, Pennsylvania
California is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Monongahela River. The population was 5,274 as of the 2000 census. California is the home of California University of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1849, the borough was named for the territory of California following...
in April 2008.