Cheslie Kryst: 5 Things About Miss USA 2019 Winner From North Carolina

Patrick Prather/Miss USA

We have a winner! Miss North Carolina, Cheslie Kryst, was officially crowned Miss USA on May 2, and we rounded up everything to know about her!

Miss North Carolina is officially the winner of the 2019 Miss USA pageant. Cheslie Kryst, 28, was crowned by her predecessor, Sarah Rose Summers during a live ceremony, hosted by Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey, on May 2. She broke down in tears as she accepted the crown and sash, while runner-up Alejandra Gonzalez from New Mexico happily cheered her on. It’s been quite a journey to get to this point, and during the Miss USA pageant, Cheslie had to take on 50 other contestants from the rest of the states in the U.S., as well as the District of Columbia. Get to know Cheslie better with five fast facts here:

1. She’s a lawyer. Not only is Cheslie absolutely beautiful, but she’s smart and successful, too. She works at the Proyner Spruill Law Firm as an associate, with her practice concentrated in complex civil litigation. Her job requires her to “represent clients in federal and state cases relating to a wide range of business disputes” and “represent municipalities in local government matters, including extensive and complex reviews of policies and procedures for programs funded by grants for federal government,” according to her firm’s website.

2. She’s well-educated. Cheslie attended the University of South Carolina Honors College, where she received her Bachelor’s degree and graduated cum laude. She went onto obtain her Master’s and Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University.

3. She’s volunteered for a number of positions in her community. Cheslie has shown off her charitable side over the years as a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas, where she serves on the Board of Directors. She’s also a volunteer at Dress for Success Charlotte, a Millennial Advisory Board Member at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture, and a member of the Ayscue Professionalism Award Committee for the Mecklenburg County Bar.

4. She was a Division I athlete. While completing her undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina, Cheslie competed on the track and field team. She holds a spot in the school’s top 10 record book for the triple jump.

5. She comes from a big family. Cheslie has FIVE siblings and has been open about how supportive her family has been to her throughout her entire Miss USA journey.