As a little girl, Angelina Eidson would go to football games at the University of Florida with her grandparents.
Now, as a junior at UF, Eidson is being celebrated as the winner of this year’s Miss University of Florida Scholarship Pageant thanks to her community service work and youth mentorship.
“[Being in the pageant] was something I always wanted to do,” said Eidson, who is double majoring in criminology and Mandarin Chinese. “I worked hard for two years and it paid off.”
The Jacksonville native has made a significant impact through her community service in the local area through her participation with the Ronald McDonald House and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alachua County by empowering young people to reach their full potential.
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“I’ve always been active in my community and the pageant was an opportunity to expand my platform to a wider audience,” Eidson said.
In her hometown, Eidson is known to be a dedicated advocate for women who have been affected by sex trafficking.
She has been a volunteer at Rethreaded, which is a rehabilitation center in Jacksonville for survivors of human trafficking, for over eight years and has donated more than 500 pounds of T-shirts to benefit the organization.
“It’s a tangible way to not only give back, but to empower their lives,” Eidson said.
As a mentor and ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alachua County, Eidson said she loves helping the youth by spending time with them.
“I’ve been able to see how mentorship transforms lives,” Eidson said.
Jasmyn Copeland, the senior partnership program director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, said Eidson has been a supportive mentor in Alachua County for the past two years.
“She [Angelina] is there to help support the kids whether they are struggling academically, socially or spends time with them by going out and playing ball,” Copeland said.
Copeland said Eidson’s enthusiasm for helping others is the reason she was not surprised of her winning the title.
“It didn’t surprise us because she is very optimistic, well-spoken, kind, and an incredible young person,” Copeland said. “We are excited to see what happens with Angelina in the future.”
Eidson’s compassion to enrich the lives of the community can also be seen through her actions in organizing drives for the Ronald McDonald House and singing at local nursing homes.
Eidson has created Father’s Day and Mother’s Day baskets for parents of children who have been admitted to the Ronald McDonald House for care.
“The world needs more compassion,” Eidson said. “The power to make someone more understanding can go a long way.”
She said her mom was a vocal coach and every year they would go sing Christmas carols at different nursing homes.
It is a tradition she continues to do but this time, she sings songs from the 1940s through 1960s.
“Singing ’At Last’ by Etta James is my favorite and their favorite as well,” Eidson said.
Eidson also participated in community service drives for feminine products with the Miss America Organization and donated scrapbooking supplies for the residents of the Russell Home for Atypical Children in Orlando.
Daniela Villarreal, the executive director of the Miss University of Florida Scholarship Pageant, said Eidson’s passion for community service helped her stand out from the 11 other contestants.
“Angelina is one of the kindest people I ever met in my entire life,” Villarreal said. “She is passionate about community service, and she takes pride in family and education. She has a special light to her on and off the stage.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Miss UF 2024 recognized for her community service
