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Date Posted: 14:13:01 02/12/09 Thu
 Former SRU student, Natasha Vivoda, 21, has had a year of ups and downs, but one of her biggest accomplishments, currently holding the title of Miss Ohio USA, keeps her motivated.
Vivoda, originally from Champion, Ohio, attended SRU for three years majoring in biology with a plan of continuing to graduate school for physical therapy. She was a member of Lambda Sigma in the Alpha Theta SRU Chapter, a national honor society for college students focusing on the ideals of leadership, scholarship, fellowship and service. She was a presidential scholar, representing the top 20 students in the biology major, and she was on the dean's list.
Vivoda decided to transfer to Youngstown State University because her grandfather, John M. Vivoda, who passed away Jan. 27, was suffering from brain cancer.
"When I was a student at SRU, I went home on the weekends a lot," Vivoda said. "We took care of [my grandfather]. He lived with us. I transferred to be closer to home."
Fall 2008 was Vivoda's first semester at YSU, but she took the current semester off to dedicate her time to her family and the pageant.
Vivoda said had grown up watching pageants on television, but never got involved or competed until she began college.
"I was watching the pageant once and asked myself why I wasn't doing something I truly wanted in my heart to do," Vivoda said. "I started working out and just went for it."
Vivoda competed in the Miss Ohio USA Pageant 2008 and took home fourth runner up. On Nov. 22, 2008, she competed again against 56 girls and came home with the title of Miss Ohio USA 2009.
"When I won, I was completely overwhelmed and so happy," Vivoda said. "My wish was for my grandfather to see me win, and he was able to see me fulfill my dream."
Vivoda will now compete for the title of Miss USA. The competition is April 19 and will be at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and broadcasted live on NBC.
Besides competing in the pageant, Vivoda will be celebrating her 22 birthday in Las Vegas on April 15, four days before the pageant.
"There are strict security rules on us but they give us a few days to go out and have fun," Vivoda said.
Vivoda said she is currently getting physically and emotionally prepared.
"Right now I go to the gym a lot and taking care of myself physically and mentally," Vivoda said. "There is definitely a lot more preparation that goes into this pageant compared to the last."
The three categories contestants will be judged on are evening gown, bathing suit and interview.
In eight weeks, Vivoda will fly to Las Vegas where she will begin the preliminaries on April 13.
"The preliminaries are what the audience doesn't see on TV," Vivoda said. "They determine the top 15 finalists, which are announced on TV, and those are the girls who compete to be in the top 5 finalists. Either way, I'll be at the beginning when each state is introduced."
Vivoda said whoever wins the title of Miss USA will work for Donald Trump for one year.
"Whoever wins gets on a plane the next morning and flies to New York City to live and work," Vivoda said.
Vivoda said she plans to return to YSU in the fall to finish earning her degree in biology and will apply to graduate school to get a doctorate in physical therapy. But if she wins the competition and title of Miss USA, school would obviously be put on hold.
Vivoda said winning the title is something she does think about more as it becomes closer to the time when she heads to Las Vegas.
"When I won Miss Ohio USA, I was just so happy, and the thought of being on NBC was just so crazy," Vivoda said. "As times go on, I do want it more and at least would love to get top 15."
Hoping for the best is what she is doing as she waits for April 19.
"It's hard to think about leaving home and my family, but it's just all really exciting."
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