Carolyn Brady, who grew up on the Main Line and studied violin at the Philadelphia International Music Festival in Bryn Mawr College, will represent Maine in the Miss America 2.0 competition, writes Rasa Brittain for the Patch.

Despite representing her adoptive state, Brady still has strong connections to the Main Line.

“All of my best friends still live there, all their families do, so whenever I come back from Maine, that’s where I spend the bulk of my time,” said Brady.

Brady has competed for Miss Pennsylvania twice, before leaving for college in Maine. She decided to try her luck there as well, and it paid off. She became the first-ever African-American Miss Maine.

As part of her talent segment on the Miss America stage, she plans to perform a rock/Broadway composition on her violin.

She is quick to credit PIMF not only for refining her musical skills and technique, but also for helping her learn about setting goals, making life connections, and providing her with real-life examples of mentorship. Those skills are what helped her on the path to representing Maine at Miss America 2.0, she said.

Read more about Carolyn Brady at the Patch by clicking here.