When Catherine Ching ’26 saw Pia Wurtzbach make history as the third Filipina woman to win Miss Universe in 2015, Ching felt inspired that she, too, could join the pageant world.
“As a young girl, I was captivated by her radiant smile, unwavering confidence and poise,” Ching said. “As an Asian American, witnessing someone who looked like me win such a prestigious title fueled my determination to stand on the pageant stage.”
Ching continued to watch pageants as she grew up, and this June, she stepped into the spotlight as a contestant in the Miss New York USA pageant.
Ching is strategic when balancing her pageant endeavors with her coursework as a Cornell student with an over 4.0 GPA. Because Cornell finals and pageant preparation overlapped, Ching explained, she solely focused on her finals until they were completed. She then dedicated the remaining month to pageant preparation.
The lead-up to the pageant included practicing onstage questions, learning to walk in 5.5-inch heels, mastering poses in pageant wear, taking professional headshots and adopting an intensive nutrition and fitness regimen.
Despite the short preparation period, Ching finished as a top-21 contestant out of 176 total contestants and brought home the People’s Choice award.
The Miss NY USA Pageant consists of three equally scored rounds — interview, swimsuit and evening gown, and contestants with the highest composite scores moved to the semifinals.
The competition began with the interview round on Friday, June 28. Contestants faced two to three-minute interviews with a panel of judges in which they discussed their ambitions, talents and goals.
On Saturday, June 29, the first swimsuit and evening gown rounds were held. In these competitions, judges score contestants based on factors including ambitions, confidence and appearance.
“During [the first set of the swimsuit] round, I felt a surge of adrenaline and anticipation as it was my first walk. It was a mix of confidence and vulnerability,” Ching said. “But staying focused and present in the moment made the experience exhilarating and empowering.”
On Sunday, June 30, the top-21 contestants, which included Ching, were announced as semifinalists. The semifinalists then competed in the second set of the swimsuit and evening gown rounds on Sunday.
For both sets of the swimsuit round, Ching wore a black bikini by AIR SPACE, nude platform heels by Chinese Laundry and a black sarong provided by the pageant organizers.
For both sets of the evening gown round, Ching wore a golden floor-length dress by Jovani Fashion with matching golden chandelier earrings by Earrings Plaza and the nude platform heels by Chinese Laundry.
“[The] evening gown [round] was my favorite, as I really shined in this portion,” Ching said. “I truly felt like a golden goddess.”
By competing in Miss New York USA, Ching hopes to inspire young women the same way Wurtzbach inspired her.
“I did this not just for myself, but to show young women from all diverse backgrounds that they can overcome limitations and achieve their dreams,” Ching said. “If they can look at me and say, ‘If she can do it, so can I,’ then I’ve already succeeded.”
Building a platform through pageants has been deeply meaningful for Ching considering the adversity she has faced due to her auditory disability.
Having been bullied in her past for having auditory processing disorder — a neurological condition affecting the processing of sounds, particularly speech — she now uses her pageant platform to advocate for disability equality and human rights.
“I am naturally introverted and was often made fun of for having auditory processing disorder. I witnessed similar treatment towards my brother, who is neurodiverse,” Ching said. “More often than not, I was told I was incapable of doing something because of my diagnosis, but I was too afraid to speak up.”
While competing in Miss New York USA, Ching was able to share her story of overcoming these challenges with the judges during the interview round.
“I was able to share my story of conquering these experiences and disability [and] human rights advocacy with the judges during the interview round,” Ching said. “By performing so confidently and being so comfortable onstage, … I knew that I belonged there as did every woman on that stage.”
Ching has a long history of participating in public service, which she explained is emphasized in the Miss NY USA pageant through elements such as candidate pre-screenings and pageant interviews.
At Cornell, she serves as vice president of people and culture for the Cornell Hotel Society and is active in the Hotel Leadership Development Program at the Statler Hotel. She also volunteers in various capacities, from preparing meals for the physically handicapped elderly to restoring oysters in the New York Harbor.
Her lifelong dedication to service has also earned her numerous accolades and opportunities. In April, she attended a hospitality and tourism conference in Dubai, where she connected with top industry leaders and delivered an acceptance speech for the Cornell Hotel Society Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Endowment.
She previously appeared on Good Morning America as a middle school panelist to promote the book The Confidence Code for Girls, where she discussed self-assurance in teenage girls amid societal expectations.
In addition to competing in Miss NY USA, Ching has begun her term as Miss Connecticut Earth 2024. In this role, she will compete in the Miss Earth USA pageant that will occur in January 2025.
Miss Earth USA — part of the global Miss Earth pageant — focuses on promoting environmental awareness and responsibility. The pageant emphasizes its “Beauties for a Cause” motto, such as by requiring delegates to deliver Think Global, Act Local community projects, which are hands-on community initiatives.
Competitors for Miss Earth USA will participate in multiple rounds, including interviews, environmental projects and swimwear and evening gown competitions.
The winner will represent the U.S. in the global Miss Earth pageant. The winning candidate of Miss Earth 2024 will become the spokesperson for environmental organizations including the Miss Earth Foundation and the United Nations Environment Programme for one year.
“I am committed to driving a meaningful impact through sustainable community work and advocacy,” Ching said. “I look forward to showcasing my efforts at the competition … and I am determined to make history as the first Chinese-American Miss Earth USA.”
Ching plans to center her platform on sustainable tourism and hospitality. By leveraging her experiences as a hotel administration major and her work at the Statler Hotel, she hopes to advocate for initiatives such as environment, social and governance policies in the service industry and sustainable energy, food and water management in hotels and restaurants.
She is also engaging in other environmental education efforts, such as traveling to Paris this November to share information about sustainable tourism and France’s environmental sustainability initiatives through her Miss Connecticut Earth Instagram account.
When asked where she sees herself in ten years, Ching stated that she aspires to be an international human rights lawyer, dedicated to serving the world’s most vulnerable populations, including those with disabilities.
“My life ambition is to help create lasting, transformative change in people’s lives, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live with dignity and justice,” Ching said.
Ching hopes to work with humanitarian rights organizations and continue her volunteer efforts through advocacy projects.
Among many causes, she said she is particularly passionate about promoting inclusive education, supporting survivors of abuse, advancing mental health awareness, combating workplace discrimination and championing climate justice.
“We have a responsibility, as human beings, to be kind and generous without expecting anything in return,” Ching said. “It is our duty, as global citizens, to promote a world of love, respect and compassion.”
Christine Savino is a Sun contributor and can be reached at [email protected].