VCU news

Virginia Commonwealth University's Caressa Cameron has been crowned Miss America.

The 22-year-old mass communications major won the title from a field of 53 contestants, and will spend a year away from college to fulfill her duties as Miss America.

Cameron won a $50,000 scholarship Saturday night at the pageant in Las Vegas.  She told reporters that after her reign as Miss America, she plans to earn a master’s degree and eventually become a news anchor.

Cameron also told reporters that she sees pageantry as a way to raise money and awareness for her platform issue, AIDS awareness.  She was recognized by Congress in 2007 for her work to bring instant-result HIV testing to Virginia.

Cameron is the first black Miss America since Ericka Dunlap in 2005.  The last Miss America from Virginia was Nicole Johnson in 1999.

For more information, visit the Miss America Pageant web site at http://www.missamerica.org/.