USF student goes from Navy officer to beauty pageant contestant

A USF student is proving that women can do it all. Alexis Aponte, 20, is on the way to fulfilling her dreams of being in the Navy while, at the same time, preparing to represent Florida in the National America Miss Beauty Pageant. “Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I have to get up at 4 a.m. just to get ready and come to campus and work out at 5:30 every morning, and then we are taking on almost double the course load other students do just with Navy classes,” said Aponte. beauty pageant contestant From Navy officer to beauty pageant Photo by: wfts By: Robert BoydPosted at 6:32 AM, May 01, 2023 and last updated 7:44 AM, May 01, 2023 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A USF student is proving that women can do it all. Alexis Aponte, 20, is on the way to fulfilling her dreams of being in the Navy while, at the same time, preparing to represent Florida in the National America Miss Beauty Pageant. “Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I have to get up at 4 a.m. just to get ready and come to campus and work out at 5:30 every morning, and then we are taking on almost double the course load other students do just with Navy classes,” said Aponte. Recent Stories from abcactionnews.com Ever since she was a kid, Alexis wanted to walk the deck of an aircraft carrier, but it never occurred to her that she could also walk the stage of a beauty pageant. Alexis was anonymously nominated to compete in the National American Miss Florida Pageant in Orlando this July. “I was confused because I was like, ‘who, where, why, how?’” said Aponte, whose never been in a pageant in her life. “I get down and dirty; I drive a jeep, I go mudding, I usually wear tom-boyish outfits.” However, instead of turning down the opportunity, Alexis embraced it.