Miss Wisconsin competition names New Berlin its new home

Brenda Baudo, executive director of the Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Organization, told the City of New Berlin Committee of the Whole on April 8 that the organization has selected New Berlin as its new home and will stage the Miss Wisconsin competition the week of June 15–21, 2025.

Baudo said the organization, which is licensed by Miss America, moved after Mayor Emond and local officials discussed hosting the event and that the group has already established partnerships with the New Berlin School District, the West Performing Arts Center, the New Berlin Historical Museum, New Berlin Hills Golf Course and the New Berlin Activity and Recreation Center. She said the New Berlin Tourism Commission awarded the organization a $5,000 grant to support this season’s events.

The nut graf: The relocation returns the statewide pageant to a Wisconsin community venue after the organization’s most recent 61-year home in Oshkosh, and organizers emphasized scholarships and community connections as the primary reasons for the move.

Baudo said the Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Organization operates as a nonprofit: its parent organization is a 501(c)(4) and its scholarship arm is a 501(c)(3). She told aldermen the group has worked to limit costs through local partnerships, naming Durham School Services for contestant transportation, area hotels for lodging and Rosati’s Catering for donated meals; she also said the organization arranged short-term storage with Extra Space Storage for set pieces moved from Oshkosh. Baudo described the pageant’s focus as scholarship-driven and noted the competition now centers on talent, interview and health and fitness rather than swimsuit judging.

Mandy Genord, Miss Wisconsin 2024, told the committee the role provides a year of service that included competing at Miss America and substantial scholarship opportunities. Genord described her initiative, Connecting Lives Adoption Resources and Advocacy, and said her experience with the program helped her win more than $170,000 in scholarships and led her to plan to attend Marquette University Law School in August.

Ella Bay and other current titleholders also spoke briefly, saying they looked forward to using New Berlin as a regional hub to increase participation and awareness of the scholarship program.

A tourism commission representative told the committee the move helps New Berlin position itself as a destination and thanked organizers for choosing the city. Alderman Hopkins and Alderman Ken Horenda were mentioned by Baudo as local officials who helped the organization secure venues and reduced costs.

Organizers said the Miss Wisconsin competition will use the West Performing Arts Center for the main show and host several ancillary events at the golf course, recreation center and historical museum during competition week. Financial specifics beyond the $5,000 tourism grant and Baudo’s description of the organization’s nonprofit status were not provided.

Baudo closed by saying the organization intends for New Berlin to be its long-term home and that the competition’s scholarship mission remains central to operations.