Slyvia Crowder wore what any female college student would wear on a hot day – a lace tank, shorts and sandals. But along with her sandals was a brace around her foot.

Crowder got a hairline fracture on her left foot a week before she went to the Miss Indiana competition in Northbrook, Illinois.

“My doctor wanted to put me in a cast, and I refused,” she said.

Despite the fracture, she participated in all of the sections of Miss Indiana United States, including wearing four-inch heels during the swimsuit part, and won 2014 Miss Indiana.

“I knew if I took off my shoes, I wouldn’t be able to get them back on,” Crowder said.

The USI senior dietetics major will continue on to Washington D.C. July 6 to compete for the Miss United States title.

The Miss United States organization focuses more on philanthropy rather than modeling, Crowder said.

“I really didn’t know what to expect because it was my first time with this organization,” she said. “It has a very strong community service portion.”

Crowder had a social platform – Healthy Lifestyle Awareness – to promote throughout her time as Miss Indiana.

“It goes hand in hand with my major,” she said.

Crowder hasn’t always participated in pageants.

“I kind of did it on a whim. This was the last year to do it before I settled down and have a career,” she said. “I knew that if I didn’t do it now, I never would.”

She said the pageant wasn’t hostile or “catty.” She’s Facebook friends with all the other women in the pageant, and they send texts throughout the week to each other.

“I was holding hands with my runner-up and I said – no matter what – I’m going to hug you,” Crowder said.

She went to Illinois for the competition alone. Her mother, who is an accountant, was busy during the last part of tax season.

“I did everything by myself,” Crowder said. “I was joking that it would only make sense that I would win, and no one was there to see me.”

There was an interview part of the pageant and she doesn’t quite remember her question.

“I’m going to be completely honest with you – it was like an out-of-body experience,” she said.

Crowder remembered answering with how much of the pageant is about confidence. She credits USI to building her confidence.

“I did not know anyone. It was four hours away, but I felt like I was home,” Crowder said. “I was really drawn to the hospitality here.”

During her freshman year, she was the public relations ambassador for the National Watermelon Association

“It struck a passion for me that I didn’t know I had about nutrition,” she said. “Through that, I found my calling. I’ve never regretted changing from biology to dietetics.”

Associate Professor of Nutrition Julie McCullough calls Crowder a humble being.

“She came into class, and the students had to tell me she won Miss Indiana,” McCullough said.

McCullough has advised Crowder for three years and has seen how Crowder’s platform works into her life.

“She really looks for ways to take the ideas of healthy eating into really every aspect of her life,” McCullough said.

Crowder once helped with a farmer’s market and gave out recipe ideas.

“She got such a positive response she decided she wanted a way to get her recipes out there,” McCullough said.

Crowder now maintains a Facebook page, as well as a blog, pertaining to healthy eating called Simply Sylvia.

“She wanted to make a way to get her recipes out there,” she said. “She’s even brought that back into the classroom.”

“It shows that she has such a passion and interest in healthy nutrition,” she said. “It can give her opportunity to provide more information about healthy nutrition.”

With the pageant over, Crowder wears a small support with sandals. Her doctor said she wouldn’t have to wear a cast unless it doesn’t get better, but she can walk – and she’ll be walking during graduation Saturday with the other 16 dietetics majors.

After leaving USI and after the pageant in July, Crowder will work continue her health and nutrition education at Eastern Illinois University where she will work as a graduate student and complete an internship, all while working to receive her master’s in nutrition and dietetics.