Indian American student Chhavi Verg walked away with the grand title of Miss New Jersey USA 2017 during a glittering ceremony in Parsippany, New Jersey, Oct. 16. She will now represent her state at the Miss USA pageant in 2017.
A second-year student of Rutgers University’s business school, Chhavi Verg has proved that perseverance and determination are the keys to success. The Miss New Jersey USA title had been her dream since she was a junior in high school. She embarked on her journey to beauty pageants when she was a high school senior. It took her three pageants to achieve this milestone in her journey to success.
The Edison, New Jersey native, who was the fourth runner-up in the Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2015 pageant, had been dreaming about clinching this crown for a long time.
Revealing how “visualization” can help someone achieve their dreams, the beauty queen shared her top tip for aspiring talents in an Instagram post.
“I began training for the competition the moment I stepped off the stage last year as a non-finalist,” she said, adding that feeling discouraged and disappointed, she began reflecting on what she could have done better.
Upon realizing that she couldn’t win the crown without first believing that she was deserving of the crown, Verg, who looks up to Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra as an inspiration, went on to say, “In the next 365 days, I set out on a journey to prove to myself I was deserving of the title and aimed to be a person I was proud of when I competed on that stage. Your thoughts become your reality. Remember, no one can deter you from your dreams except you.”
A second year student at the university where she is studying marketing and finance, Verg plans to use her title this year to help causes she is passionate about, including women’s education and stopping child abuse, according to a report in The Daily Targum. She also wants to spend time helping people to embrace a healthier lifestyle, both in a mental and physical sense.
“I am a huge proponent of women’s education and equality so I really would like to do appearances and talks about that,” she said.
The most sought after title of Miss New Jersey USA 2017 is a big leap for Chhavi Verg from modeling to a new world of fame, empowerment and emancipation. She had also competed in the Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2015. She found it a way to inspire and motivate many girls like her to realize their potential and discover their hidden talent. Apart from dieting and physical workout, she spent a long time with herself exploring her strengths and shortcomings. Knowing yourself is a steppingstone to success, according to Chhavi Verg.
Outside of school, Verg enjoys dancing and is a proponent of health and wellbeing. A Bharatanatyam dancer who completed her Arangetram in 2013, Verg believes that one of the most important things in life is good health. She started a website to spread that message. She believes “Success is a team effort” and advises others to “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”
Asked how she would meet the demands of her courses at school and the responsibilities of being Miss New Jersey USA 2017, Verg took a deep breath. “It’s all about time management. My friends have been such a big help in all this. And my family,” she noted. While the title is not making too many demands on her as yet, she said, “I’m still sometimes in doubt if it was a reality or a dream,” she said.
“I believe in the power of five P’s – Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance – which I learned at Rutgers Business School. Winning on such a platform as Miss USA pageant not only earns fame and recognition but also a voice to speak about the causes that I believe in and the things that I want to do in my life. That’s why I was determined to win the Miss New Jersey USA 2017 title in order to make a difference in the world,” Chhavi Verg says ebulliently.