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'{{short description|American beauty pageant winner (born 1993)}} {{Infobox pageant titleholder | name = Cara Mund | image = Cara Mund 2018.jpg | caption = Mund in January 2018 | birth_name = Cara D. Mund | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|12|8|mf=yes}} | birth_place = [[Bismarck, North Dakota]], U.S. | alma_mater = [[Brown University]] | education = [[Harvard Law School]] | title = {{ubl|Miss Northern Lights 2017|[[Miss North Dakota]] 2017|[[Miss America 2018]]}} | eye_color = Blue | hair_color = Brown | homepage = {{url|caramund.com}} }} '''Cara Mund''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɑːr|ə}} {{respell|KAR|ə}}; born December 8, 1993) is an American beauty pageant titleholder and political candidate from [[Bismarck, North Dakota]]. In June 2017, she was crowned [[Miss North Dakota]] 2017. On September 10, 2017, she was crowned [[Miss America]] 2018 in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]] and became the first contestant from North Dakota to win the competition. ==Early life and education== Mund was born in [[Bismarck, North Dakota]] to DeLora Kautzmann-Mund and Doug Mund. She is a distant relative of [[Victoria Woodhull]], the first woman to run for [[President of the United States]].<ref name="MAO">{{cite web|url=http://missamerica.org/miss-america-2018-contestants/miss-north-dakota-2017-cara-mund/|accessdate=September 10, 2017|publisher=[[Miss America Organization]]|title=Miss North Dakota|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910121207/http://missamerica.org/miss-america-2018-contestants/miss-north-dakota-2017-cara-mund/|archive-date=September 10, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mund is a national award-winning [[choreographer]] and [[dancer]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/2017/09/miss_america_top_15_who_is_sti.html|title=Miss America 2018: Miss North Dakota wins the crown|last=Gore|first=Leada|date=2017-09-11|website=al.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref> In [[high school]], she trained four summers with the [[Radio City Rockettes]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockettes.com/blog/miss-america-2018-is-an-alumni-of-the-rockettes-summer-intensive/|title=Miss America 2018 is an Alumni[sic] of the Rockettes Summer Intensive|website=The Rockettes|date=14 September 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref> and was named one of their "Successful Rockette Women" in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockettes.com/blog/womens-history-month-celebrating-successful-rockette-women/|title=Women's History Month: Celebrating Successful Rockette Women|website=The Rockettes|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref> Since the age of 14, Mund has organized an annual fundraising fashion show benefiting the [[Make-a-Wish Foundation]].<ref name="grand forks">{{cite web| title= Bismarck's Cara Mund crowned Miss North Dakota |work= Grand Forks Herald |url=http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4282157-bismarcks-cara-mund-crowned-miss-north-dakota|date=June 12, 2017|accessdate=September 10, 2017}}</ref> In high school, Mund served as her school's [[National Honor Society]] president, graduated as one of her class' [[valedictorians]], and was voted "most likely to become Miss America."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/missamerica/miss-america-cara-mund-talks-dreams-coming-true-and-granting/article_04e6d070-3047-5527-a66f-66f89b0acbae.html|title=Miss America Cara Mund talks "dreams coming true" and granting wishes|first=Lauren|last=Carroll|work=[[Press of Atlantic City]]|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en}}</ref> [[File:Cara Mund.jpg|thumb|180px|Mund in Atlantic City after being crowned Miss America 2018]] She graduated with honors from [[Brown University]] in 2016 with a degree in business, entrepreneurship, and organizations. Her thesis was on the Miss America Organization.<ref name=BAM>{{Cite web|last=Sloan|first= Louise|work=[[Brown Alumni Monthly]]| date= March–April 2018| url=https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2018-04-01/miss-america-feminist|title=Miss America, Feminist|publisher=www.brownalumnimagazine.com}}</ref> Mund served as the president of the [[sorority]] [[Kappa Delta]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-mund |title=Cara Mund |publisher=Linkedin.com |accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref> She has said that the school helped her "think on [her] feet."<ref name=BAM/> From August to December 2016, she interned for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Senator [[John Hoeven]] in [[Washington D.C.]] In 2018, she was his guest at the State of the Union. Mund has expressed interest in representing North Dakota in the [[North Dakota Senate|state]] and [[U.S. Senate]] as well as being the first woman to be elected [[Governor of North Dakota]].<ref name="Bismarck Trib">{{cite web|first= Amy |last= Dalrymple| url=http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/mund-proud-to-put-north-dakota-on-the-map-as/article_b09214f1-3a0c-54ec-b43d-98fc162cbdac.html|newspaper=[[Bismarck Tribune]]|title=Mund proud to put North Dakota 'on the map' as state's first Miss America|date=September 12, 2017}}</ref> In 2019, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed Resolution No. 3035 to honor Mund.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=House Concurrent Resolution No. 3035|url=https://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/66-2019/documents/19-3121-01000.pdf|access-date=|website=}}</ref> She was also inducted into the North Dakota Bluebook's "Notable North Dakotans" and recognized as one of "Five Women Who Changed North Dakota's History."<ref name=":0" /> On March 11, 2021, the North Dakota State Museum debuted an exhibit featuring Mund.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ND style fashion exhibition opens in ND Heritage Center & State Museum|url=https://www.minotdailynews.com/life/arts-entertainment/2021/03/nd-style-fashion-exhibition-opens-in-nd-heritage-center-state-museum/|access-date=2022-01-11|website=minotdailynews.com|language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to being crowned Miss America, she expressed her plan to attend [[law school]].<ref name="grand forks"/> In May 2022, Mund graduated from [[Harvard Law School]] Cum Laude where she was a teaching fellow, the Executive Editor of Operations for the Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law, a member of the Harvard Law School Mock Trial Association, and a member of the Women's Law Association.<ref>{{Cite web|title=JSEL Leadership|url=https://harvardjsel.com/leadership/|access-date=2022-01-11|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Previous Members – Harvard Law School Mock Trial Association|url=https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/mocktrial/members/previous-members/|access-date=2022-01-11|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Clea |last=Simon |title=‘I was able to feel like I was making an impact’ |url=https://today.law.harvard.edu/i-was-able-to-feel-like-i-was-making-an-impact/ |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=Harvard Law Today |language=en-US}}</ref> ==Pageantry== ===Early pageantry=== She began pageantry as a child, capturing the titles of Little Miss North Dakota, Miss Pre-Teen North Dakota, and Miss Junior Teen North Dakota.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/north-dakota-cara-mund-wins-america-2018-article-1.3485751|title=Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, wins Miss America 2018|date=September 10, 2017|newspaper=[[NY Daily News]]|last=Feldman|first=Kate}}</ref> Mund later competed in [[Miss North Dakota's Outstanding Teen]] 2010 as Miss Red River Valley's Outstanding Teen. She went on to win the competition, and competed in Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011.<ref name="grand forks"/> She later was the 4th runner-up at the [[Miss North Dakota Teen USA]] 2012 pageant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pageantupdate.info/miss-north-dakota-usa-teen-usa-pageant-results.html |title=Miss North Dakota USA & Teen USA state pageant results |last=|first=|date=|website=Pageant Update Results}}</ref> ===Miss North Dakota=== [[File:PHFL+mi-so-11-0201-MissAmerica (40007396021).jpg|thumb|180 px|Mund's USO visits]] Mund competed in [[Miss North Dakota]] 2016 as Miss Oil Country, and was the first runner-up. She returned to the competition the following year as Miss Northern Lights 2017, and was crowned Miss North Dakota 2017, with her platform being "A Make-A-Wish Passion with Fashion."<ref name="MAO"/> ===Miss America 2018=== Mund represented North Dakota in the [[Miss America 2018]] competition held at [[Boardwalk Hall]] in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], in September 2017. Her platform was "A Make-A-Wish Passion with Fashion." In the preliminary competitions, Mund was named the first runner-up for the Quality of Life Award.<ref>{{cite web| first= Ike |last= Morgan |url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/09/miss_alabama_jessica_procter_w.html|work= AL.com|title=Miss Alabama Jessica Procter wins Miss America Quality of Life Award|date=September 8, 2017|accessdate=September 10, 2017}}</ref> On September 10, 2017, Mund was crowned Miss America 2018 by [[Miss America 2017]] [[Savvy Shields]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a12214508/miss-north-dakota-cara-mund-wins-miss-america-2018/|title=Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, Wins Miss America 2018|date=September 10, 2017|work=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]|last=Rees|first=Alex}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/09/miss-america-2018-winner-who-won-tonight-results-last-north-dakota-cara-mund/|title=Who Won the Miss America 2018 Pageant Tonight?|date=September 10, 2017|work=[[heavy.com]]|last=Weigle|first=Lauren}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2017/09/10/miss-north-dakota-wins-miss-america-2018-cara-mund/|title=Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, Slays The Competition & Becomes Miss America 2018|work=[[Hollywood Life]]|last=Wilson|first=Samantha|date=September 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-latest-judges-select-final-15-in-miss-america-contest/2017/09/10/322840c2-9691-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911050828/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-latest-judges-select-final-15-in-miss-america-contest/2017/09/10/322840c2-9691-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 11, 2017|title=The Latest: Miss North Dakota is crowned Miss America 2018|date=September 10, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Along with the title of Miss America, she received a $50,000 scholarship. Mund is the first contestant from North Dakota to win the Miss America title. She is also the last Miss America to compete in the swimsuit portion of competition.<ref name="ND win">{{cite web|first= Sara M. |last= Moniuszko| url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/09/10/miss-america-2018-miss-north-dakota-cara-mund-takes-crown/641482001/|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|title=Miss America 2018: Miss North Dakota Cara Mund takes the crown|date=September 10, 2017}}</ref> During her reign, Mund served as the 2018 National Goodwill Ambassador for the [[Children's Miracle Network Hospitals]] and worked closely with the [[United Service Organizations|USO]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jamestownsun.com/community/nonprofits/4391641-miss-america-promotes-make-wish-gala|title=Miss America promotes Make-A-Wish at Gala|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.browndailyherald.com/2018/02/08/brown-crown-cara-mund-16/|title=From Brown to the crown: Cara Mund '16|last=Demeyer|first=Tess|date=2018-02-08|work=Brown Daily Herald|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en-US}}</ref> In solidarity with the #MeToo movement, she wore black to the [[2018 State of the Union]], and in the March/April 2018 issue of the [[alumni magazine]] of her [[Ivy League]] school, she represented the Miss America organization, saying that it was the largest scholarship provider to women and that "it's more relevant than ever". She expressed an interest in its change from the inside positive towards its current trajectory, "the organization really did exactly what it was meant to do, and that was to empower women and give them the skills to be able to stand up for themselves."<ref name=BAM/> In August 2018, Mund criticized the Miss America Organization in a five-page letter, stating "My voice is not heard nor wanted by our current leadership, nor do they have any interest in knowing who I am and how my experiences relate to positioning the organization for the future."<ref>{{cite web|last= Argetsinger |first=Amy| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/08/17/no-miss-america-should-be-humiliated-before-giving-up-crown-cara-mund-blasts-pageant-leadership/|title='No Miss America should be humiliated': Before giving up crown, Cara Mund blasts pageant leadership|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 17, 2018}}</ref> She further stated, "The rhetoric about empowering women, and openness and transparency, is great; however, the reality is quite different. I am living that difference. To stay silent is to give away my power and the power of the women who will follow me. I am not comfortable with any of us being controlled, manipulated, silenced, or bullied."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/cara-mund-letter-to-past-pageant-winners/pdf_eb839172-3379-5c37-bbf4-91c2133b8ef0.html|title=Cara Mund letter to past pageant winners|website=Press of Atlantic City}}</ref> In January 2020, the leadership was removed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/missamerica/miss-america-president-and-ceo-regina-hopper-no-longer-with-organization/article_29083d64-6480-5559-a5ea-f40e6815034b.html|title=Miss America President and CEO Regina Hopper no longer with organization|first=Mark|last=Melhorn|work=[[Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> On December 8, 2019, Mund became the first and so far only Miss America to judge the Miss Universe competition.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.missuniverse.com/judge/1000784|title=Miss Universe Home|website=Miss Universe}}</ref> ==Politics== On August 6, 2022, Cara Mund announced her candidacy to serve North Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-09 |title=Cara Mund: Why she’s running for Congress |url=https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/cara-mund-why-shes-running-for-congress/ |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=KX NEWS |language=en-US}}</ref> If she can receive the 1,000 valid signatures necessarily to qualify for the ballot, this [[Harvard Law School|Harvard]] graduate plans to run as an independent. She would be the only pro-choice candidate in the race.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-10 |title=Ex-Miss America Mund: Abortion ruling prompted US House run |url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-entertainment-health-religion-67dbf68c7a698dfa90bc9d83a5e44301 |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==External links== {{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box | title = [[Miss America]] | years = [[Miss America 2018|2018]] | before = [[Savvy Shields]] | after = [[Nia Franklin]] }} {{succession box | title = [[Miss North Dakota]] | years = 2017 | before = Macy Christianson | after = Lizzie Jensen }} {{s-end}} {{MissAmericas 2000–2019}} {{Miss America}} {{North Dakota pageant winners}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mund, Cara}} [[Category:1993 births]] [[Category:American beauty pageant winners]] [[Category:Brown University alumni]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Miss America winners]] [[Category:People from Bismarck, North Dakota]] [[Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni]] [[Category:Harvard Law School alumni]]'