Sometimes, 31-year-old Lauren Jones wears high heels when she is doing housework at her Apison home.
Jones, an automotive assembly engineer at the Volkswagen Group of America plant in Chattanooga, said it’s good practice for the upcoming Mrs. International 2025 pageant in July.
“I will literally do housework in my pageant heels to get used to them,” Jones said in an interview. “I fold laundry, do the dishes. People get a giggle out of that, (but) it’s to prepare for the stage.”
Jones was recently named Mrs. Tennessee International 2025 through a lengthy application and interview process and will compete against dozens of other contestants at the Mrs. International 2025 pageant July 18-19 in Kingsport, Tennessee, at the Meadowview Conference Resort. The 36-year-old pageant is open to married women ages 21 to 56 and features contestants from around the world.
Jones, a Clemson University graduate, is not new to pageants, having competed in various competitions through high school and college before taking a break to get married and start her career. She is former Miss Mississippi for America winner and has placed in the Top 15 in the Miss Magnolia State pageant, she said.
“I got engaged and put (pageants) on pause,” she said. “Now that I’m all settled in, I felt like it was a good time to jump back (into pageants). … I’m trying to be a better version of myself.”
Jones’ husband, Ethan Jones, also works for Volkswagen. He is an engineer on the battery team. As part of the Mrs. International 2025 contest, he will escort his wife on stage during the evening gown competition. There is also a sportswear segment and an interview with the judges that counts as 50% of the overall score, Jones said.
Jones said she is already deep into preparation for the summer pageant. Over time, she has worked with pageant coaches to improve her scores.
“No. 1 is taking care of my body through clean eating, working out and staying in shape,” she said.
Crucial to her interview score is Jones’ mastery of her platform. She will advocate for more women in STEM careers. At work, she is often in the minority, she said.
(READ MORE: VW may move some Porsche, Audi assembly to U.S.)
“I’d say 85% of the time I’m the only woman (in the room),” said Jones, who wants to inspire more girls in middle school and high school to lay the groundwork for careers in technical fields.
She said she was thrilled at a recent battery-operated car competition sponsored by VW when a group of girls from Westview Elementary in East Brainerd took top honors.
“It was so inspiring to me to see these little girls build a car,” she said. “They were brilliant.”
Jones said her job at VW involves troubleshooting and improving segments of the manufacturing process.
(READ MORE: Boys and Girls clubs get boost for STEM education.)
“I’m a planner,” she said. “In very simple terms, I provide production line tools to make the assembly process easier.”
If, by example, she can make STEM careers easier for girls to pursue, it might be her best problem-solving feat to date.
“Being chosen to wear this (Mrs. Tennessee International 2025 title) across my heart is an incredible honor,” she said. “It’s not just about a crown — it’s about using my voice to inspire girls to see themselves as future leaders in STEM.”
Life Stories is published on Mondays. Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645.
