For Maddalena Willis, the crown she wears as Miss Rocky Mountain is more than just a pretty accessory. It’s a symbol of her commitment to uplifting her community, setting a good example for others, and building strength through artistic expression. The crown has five points—each representing a core value—and each one has played a significant role in shaping who she is as an artist, a titleholder, and a human being.
Service
“I did not grow up doing pageants,” Willis explained with a bashful grin. “I was raised dancing and doing art for most of my life. My mom suggested I compete for Miss Wasatch County when I graduated high school and my immediate reaction was, ‘No, I don’t do pageants, that’s not my thing.’”
It was her mother’s persistence—and the example of a neighbor who had also held the title of Miss Wasatch County—that finally convinced Willis to compete. “She told me if I did a pageant, I’d get to serve the community and help people, and I thought that actually sounded really fun.” She ended up winning and loved the experience. Now, as Miss Rocky Mountain, Willis is competing in her third Miss Utah competition.
Willis uses her title as a springboard to share her passion for inclusivity in the arts. Her Community Service Initiative (CSI) is called “Artistry in Action: Art for All Abilities.”
At just 14, she began mentoring children with special needs through adaptive dance. “I thought I was going to help someone, but in the end, I learned how to love better and be more accepting,” she said. Since then, she has worked with organizations like PEAK (Parents Empowering Abled Kids) in Wasatch County, the Heber Valley Railroad, and TURN Community Services.
Scholarship
While the Miss America organization may be best known for the competition itself, one of its greatest purposes of the organization is to provide educational scholarships to the women who compete. “A good chunk of my UVU tuition was paid for through the Miss America program,” she said.
Willis graduated this past spring with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting/Drawing/Printmaking from UVU’s Department of Art & Design. A portion of her BFA Thesis Exhibition, which incorporated video, performance, and painted elements, is currently on display as part of the UVU Museum of Art exhibition, Healing Waters: Restoring Our Relationship with Utah Lake.
She also was awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Student Award this past spring, which is given to one student each year who has excelled beyond the expectations of normal academic commitment.
Style
Style, in pageant terms, means authenticity. “You don’t have to fit a mold,” Willis explained. “It’s about expressing yourself—wearing the dress you love, being the person you want to be.” For Willis, that means merging disciplines into works that defy easy categorization. Her senior BFA exhibition included a performance video filmed on the lava fields of Fillmore, Utah, where she danced in her pointe shoes among ancient flows. Her display included the worn pointe shoes themselves—a tactile symbol of effort and artistry.
Sisterhood
“The stereotype about pageants is that it's all petty girls who just want to wear a crown,” she said. “But that has been the complete opposite of my experience. I’ve made real friends, women who care about me and cheer me on, even when they’re competing against me.” The relationships Willis formed through the Miss America organization have been deeply meaningful, with sisterhood standing as one of the most fulfilling aspects of her journey.
Success
The final point of the crown represents success—but not just in the way most people think. “The goal is to become a grounded individual, a well-rounded woman who can support her community,” Willis said. “That really goes hand-in-hand with my education at UVU. Over the past four years, I’ve grown so much.”
Now a UVU alumna, Willis is taking a moment to reflect—and to dream. She plans to apply for graduate school next winter and hopes to attend a program that allows for interdisciplinary work. Her ultimate goal? “To continue creating, inspiring, and building connections,” she said. “Art is a language everyone can speak. It pushes boundaries. And I want to use it to be a voice in the world.”
This past weekend, Willis took home a place in the Top 15 at the Miss Utah competition. To learn more about her CSI, Artistry in Action: Art for All Abilities, or to stay updated on her journey post-graduation, follow Willis at @missrockymountain.ut on Instagram.
