KU junior twirls her way to Atlantic City

Journalism student to use pageant scholarship for law degree at KU

Perhaps you already have seen her face on the big screen at the stadium. There she was, out in front of the KU marching band, twirling her baton high into the air during the home football games.

Now, you will get to see much more of the Marching Jayhawks’ featured twirler, Angelea Busby, a KU junior from Lenexa. Last month, Busby was crowned Miss Kansas and will represent the state — and her beloved Jayhawks — in the Miss America competition Sept. 20 in Atlantic City, N.J.

It is a dream come true for Busby, 21. However, her victory means she will have to leave her studies at KU for a year to serve as Miss Kansas — and, hopefully, Miss America. That also means stepping down as recruitment chair for her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, and as a director of Rock Chalk Revue, the musical production/fund-raising event at KU.

When she does return to KU, she will finish her degree in journalism and hopes to enter the KU law school, which her Miss Kansas scholarship winnings will pay for completely. She plans to study mental health public policy. Her platform issue as Miss Kansas is depression awareness in addition to substance and alcohol abuse.