By BROOKE FELDMAN
Victoria Mozitis of Northfield was crowned Miss New Jersey 2023 among 30 women competing for the title.
Saturday night’s pageant took place at Resorts Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, the birthplace of Miss America.
“I grew up outside of Atlantic City watching the Miss America pageant with my grandmother,” Mozitis said moments after her crowning. “Never in my life did I picture myself to actually be Miss New Jersey.”
Miss America’s new CEO Robin Fleming witnessed Mozitis shine on stage after touring Atlantic City.
“It’s such an iconic place, and it is an honor to be here for the Miss New Jersey Organization,” Fleming said.
Fleming has high hopes for Miss America.
“Our motto is ‘back to the future,’” Fleming said. “We want to reinstate some of the more traditional elements of the competition, while still moving forward with reinventing an emphasis on health and fitness. We are raising the bar for scholarships and bringing back some of the sizzle with the evening gown. We’ve also adopted a new emphasis on community service.”
The 30 contestants brought Fleming’s vision to life. The preliminary portion of the competition and private interviews took place earlier in the week. The top 11 moved forward on Saturday night.
Talent, evening gown, health and fitness and on-stage questions determined the top five. Mozitis sang a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to showcase her talent.
Victoria Mozitis, Grace Mozitis, Grace Herdelin, Elizabeth Mendel and Isabella Freund answered one last on-stage question to determine the next Miss New Jersey.
In the event Victoria Mozitis cannot fulfill her obligations, her first cousin and first runner-up Grace Mozitis will step in.
“I am standing amongst these beautiful, talented and educated women, and you think, ‘Wow they see me as that as well,’ and that’s a moment when you feel proud for yourself,” Linwood resident and first runner-up Grace Mozitis said.
Victoria Mozitis received just over $20,000 in scholarship at the state competition this year, while her cousin earned close to $9,000.
“The biggest part is all of the scholarships that we give out,” Miss New Jersey Executive Director and President David Holtzman said. “That’s the main purpose for it, besides empowering women and the amazing sisterhood it has built.”
Victoria Mozitis also accredits the organization for providing her the skills to succeed in her undergraduate program.
As a recent 2023 graduate from Rider University, she majored in Musical Theatre with a minor in Arts and Entertainment Industries Management. Throughout her year as Miss Cape Shores, she advocated for Literacy Enhancement, Artistry and Performance (L.E.A.P.) to improve literacy in schools through the arts.
As Miss New Jersey, she is most excited to engage with communities statewide. She will be serving the state alongside the newly crowned Miss New Jersey’s Teen Ashley Greco, the former Miss Cape Shores’ Teen.
“You are a servant to the people in your state,” Victoria Mozitis said. “You get to meet people from all walks of life, and I can’t wait to hear their stories and learn from them because truly our lives are the stories that we weave.”
She will go on to compete in the Miss America competition later this year.
