Sarah Sun, Miss Utah 2023
SALT LAKE CITY (June 11, 2023) — Sarah Sun, Miss Aspen Hills was crowned Miss Utah 2023 at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday, June 10. Sun captured the crown, over $10,000 in scholarships, a generous prize package from local sponsors, the opportunity to serve the state and promote her community service initiative, and represent Utah at the Miss America Competition.
Sun is majoring in Music and minoring in Political Science at Brigham Young University. Her career ambition is to obtain a Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.
Her community service initiative is Reducing Recidivism Through Art Education, where she works to make arts education available to inmates at the Utah State Prison.
Sun is a classically trained pianist and played the piece “La Campanella”. She was the winner of an overall preliminary talent award and received a $250 scholarship as well as the Overall Instrumentalist Award, and a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Miss Utah 1992 Jennifer Ward Olydroyd.
Sun is a second generation Chinese immigrant, and the first Chinese woman to represent the Miss Utah Organization.
Follow Sarah’s year as Miss Utah at @missamericaut and @SarahSun00.
The Miss Utah Organization had 47 contestants from across the state of Utah and offered $70,000 in scholarships to the young women participating. These scholarships came from in kind donations as well as tuition waivers from Weber State and Utah Tech Universities.
Each contestant was judged on five phases of competition: private interview, accounting for 30 percent of her score, onstage conversation accounting for 10 percent of her score, health and fitness, accounting for 20 percent of her score, evening gown, accounting for 20 percent of her score, and talent accounting for 20 percent.
Top 15 Semi-Finalists
The top 15 semi-finalists are as follows, each awarded a $500 scholarship:
- Miss Greater Salt Lake, Sarah Nelson,
- Miss Springville Mapleton, Mackenzie Cline,
- Miss Cottonwood, Morgan Workman,
- Miss Legacy, Kaylie Ross,
- Miss Utah Tech University, Zoe Sewell,
- Miss Pioneer Valley, Natalie Edwards,
- Miss Wasatch County, Charlee Budd,
- Miss North Ogden, Paris Matthews,
- Miss Northern Utah, Gracie Kay Nichols,
- Miss Salt Creek, Whitney Gillman
Top 5 Finalists
- Miss Deseret, Ryleigh Paulin placed as 4th runner up and received a $1,000 scholarship
- Miss Panoramaland, Addelyn Brotherson placed 3rd runner up and received a $2,000 scholarship
- Miss Provo, Glory Thomas placed 2nd runner up and received a $3,000 scholarship
- Miss Utah County, Jordyn Bristol placed 1st runner up and received a $4,000 scholarship
A list of preliminary scholarship winners from earlier in the week can be found HERE.
Additional Awards
People’s Choice: Miss Utah Tech University, Zoe Sewell (Top 15 placement and $500 scholarship)
Overall Private Interview, sponsored by Rachel Scott: Miss Utah County, Jordyn Bristol ($250 scholarship)
Overall Health & Fitness: Miss Salt Creek, Whitney Gillman ($250 scholarship)
Overall Evening Gown:
Miss North Ogden, Paris Matthews ($250 scholarship)
Miss Utah County, Jordyn Bristol ($250 scholarship)
Miss Aspen Hills, Sarah Sun ($250 scholarship)
Overall Dancer, sponsored by Miss Utah 2019, Dexonna Talbot:
Miss Weber County, Savannah Lyle ($250 scholarship)
Miss Panoramaland, Addelyn Brotherson ($250 scholarship)
Overall Instrumentalist, sponsored by Miss Utah 1992, Jennifer Ward Oldroyd: Miss Aspen Hills, Sarah Sun ($1,000 scholarship)
doTERRA Excellence in STEM:
Miss Zion, Gabriella Ulloa ($500 scholarship)
Miss Rocky Mountain, Alli Fetters ($500 scholarship)
Quality of Life, Sponsored by Forever Miss Utahs: Miss Orem, Abbey Rindlisbacher ($1,000 scholarship)
Non-Finalist Private Interview:
Miss Timpanogos, Alexsys Campbell ($250 scholarship)
Miss Orem, Abbey Rindlisbacher ($250 scholarship)
Non-Finalist Talent: Miss Nebo, Chloe Henry ($250 scholarship)
Non-Finalist Health & Fitness: Miss Lehi, Savana Brown ($250 scholarship)
Non-Finalist Evening Gown: Miss Rocky Mountain, Alli Fetters ($250 scholarship)
Spirit of Miss Utah, selected by Class of 2023: Miss Aspen Hill ($250 scholarship)
Social Media Awards:
Winner: Miss Murray, Emma Robison
1st runner up: Miss Zion, Gabriela Ulloa
2nd runner up: Miss Garfield County, Hope Peterson
Step Up Award, selected by hostesses: Miss Wellsville, Hailey Johnson
Committee’s Choice Award, selected by Executive Board: Miss Spanish Fork, Grace Ehinger
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Media Contact and Press Appearances:
Sarah Pettit
Cell: 801-916-1070
Email: [email protected]
About the Miss Utah Scholarship Organization
The Miss Utah Scholarship Organization (MUSO), a 501(c)(3), is an official state preliminary of the Miss America Organization, one of the largest scholarship organizations for women in America. The MUSO promotes academics, community service, and communication skills, and is considered a launching pad for women to further their academic and career goals. Sarah Sun serves as Miss Utah 2023 and Jaylynn Lindey serves as Miss Utah’s Teen 2023. For more information about volunteering, competing, or sponsoring, visit www.missutah.org.
Congratulations for being the first Chinese American woman to received such an award. And thank you for wearing a modest dress. You outshone all the other women around you.