Kean Student Competes in Miss New Jersey USA Pageant

By Davaughnia Wilson | Published March 30, 2023

The dreams of a Kean University junior exceeded her own expectations when she proudly represented her hometown of Linden in the Miss New Jersey USA pageant. 

“The Miss New Jersey USA pageant weekend truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience like no other,” Tiajah Elliott, a junior majoring in Theatre Education said. “When I was there I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. The rehearsals were definitely intense but incredibly fun and I honestly had the time of my life the entire weekend.”

Elliott had two coaches, both of whom were previous title holders, that played a huge part in her Miss New Jersey USA pageant journey. She trained tirelessly going over interview questions and walking in her competition shoes daily.

As a returning contestant, Elliott was familiar with pageant preparation. She competed twice in the Teen division and this year marks her third time competing in the Miss division.

“I keep coming back because I love being here. This pageant has impacted my growth in a positive way tremendously,” Elliot said. “Every time I walk out of pageant weekend, I walk out stronger than I did when I walked in.”

According to Elliott, this year’s pageant staff reminded the contestants early on that only one person in the division was going home with the crown and informed them that they should find another reason for being there. 

While Elliott did not place, she conquered her second mission. 

“Ultimately my second reason for being there was to gain more connections for my non-profit organization, Tiajah’s Dance Mission and that is exactly what I did,” Elliott said. “The current Miss New Jersey USA, Derby Chuckwudi is teaching an afro beats dance class for my organization next month because of that connection I made.”

Small victories taught the young Tiajah Elliott that her dreams were worth fighting for. Driven by her career goals, she understood the importance of self-identification and being a role model. 

According to the Miss New Jersey USA pageant website, “winning titles of this magnitude catapults young women to instant fame where they simultaneously become role models.”

Elliott established a name for herself and has been a positive influence on young girls prior to the start of her training last December. She began her professional modeling career at 16 years old and since then she has modeled for dress designers such as Jovani and Sherihill. Also, she created Tiajah’s Dance Mission and Black Women Recognized, a platform that highlights the accomplishments of Black women.

Elliott credits her growth, success, and passion for the arts to her drive and hunger for success in the industry. She said every modeling opportunity she had, prepared her for the Miss New Jersey USA stage. Her confidence increased every time she walked the runway and modeling ultimately led her to discover her passion for pageantry. 

“Over the past five years, pageantry has become a huge part of my life,” Elliott said. “I first started when I was a junior in High School to make friends and try something new. However, I soon realized that I could actually make a difference. Pageantry inspired me to create my own non-profit organization ‘Tiajah’s Dance Mission’ where I offer free dance classes to people in low-income communities.” 

Whether it is singing, dancing, modeling, or acting, Elliott has always had a passion for the stage and describes it as her comfort zone and a place where she feels the safest.

As a way of giving back to her community, Elliott, at the age of 20, created her non-profit organization. 

Tiajah’s Dance Mission aims to correct the disproportionate resources available to individuals in low-income communities by providing everyone with an opportunity to learn to dance. 

“If I had the honor of being crowned Miss New Jersey USA I would have used the title to expand Tiajah’s Dance mission and take my dance classes all over New Jersey,” Ellitor said. 

Competing in Miss USA is a dream Elliott is never letting go of. She believes that her dedication and perseverance are qualities that will allow her to reach heights of great magnitude. 

Until then, she will continue to try new things, dream new dreams, and ultimately become a better person. 

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