ABOUT US
The Miss Wasatch County Scholarship Foundation is a local affiliate of the Miss America Organization and a preliminary competition to the Miss Utah Scholarship Competition & Miss Utah’s Teen Scholarship Competition.
The Miss Wasatch County Scholarship Foundation is proud to announce our new non-profit, 501(c)(3) status. As a 501(c)(3) we rely on the generosity of community members, families, local businesses, and sponsors to help make these opportunities possible.
The Foundation empowers young women through scholarships, education, leadership development, interview coaching, talent development, health & wellness education, modeling & professional presentation skills, mentorship, sisterhood, community service and competition preparation.
MISSION STATEMENT
The foundation is established as a charitable and educational nonprofit organization to support scholarships
Building Confidence, Creating Opportunities, Inspiring Success
Meet Our Board
Co-Executive Director & Co-Founding Director: Aja Phillips
Aja brings a lifelong passion for community service, leadership development, scholarship opportunities, modeling, & empowering young women to this program. Aja served as the director of the Midway Swiss Miss program for 5 years, where she created opportunities for girls to develop confidence, leadership, & a strong connection to their community. She helped create community beautification projects, local history knowledge, public speaking opportunities & involvement in local events. She was a member of the Midway Boosters for 4 years & has served on the Midway Swiss Days Committee for the past 14 years, where she currently serves as Chairman of Advertising & Public Relations. Through these roles, she has developed extensive experience in community outreach & event promotion. Aja’s background is strong in modeling, with jobs in commercial modeling & runway fashion, including a decade-long contract with renowned bridal designer Maggie Sottero. Her experience includes numerous fashion shows, print advertisements, short films, & even video game media. This professional background has given her extensive knowledge of modeling, stage presence, presentation, confidence, & performance. Aja’s passion for pageantry began as Little Miss Wasatch program director. Since then, she has dedicated herself to helping young women develop the skills & confidence needed to succeed both on & off the stage. Aja specializes in poise, presentation, modeling, & community service opportunities. Alongside Co-Executive Director Giuliana Willis, she has helped develop a program focused on creating well-rounded young women who understand their opportunity to serve & lead. Community service is especially personal to Aja. Each year, on her late daughter’s Angel Day, she brings her children into the community to serve others at fire stations, hospitals & nursing units, police stations, & city offices. This tradition allows her family to honor her daughter’s memory through acts of kindness & service—something Aja intends to continue for years to come. Aja resides in Midway with her husband Preston, together they have 9 children spread across Utah, New York, & Key West Florida, while 3 children still live at home. Her busy household also includes 2 dogs, fish & a hedgehog.
Co-Executive Director & Co-Founding Director: Giuliana Willis
Giuliana is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for young women through scholarship, mentorship, leadership, service, & personal growth throughout this program. With more than 3 decades of experience teaching, coaching, choreographing, & directing, she has devoted much of her life to helping young people discover their talents, develop confidence, & recognize their own potential. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Utah & has a professional background in dance & the performing arts, giving her a strong foundation in performance, discipline, stage presence, communication, & personal expression. Within the Miss Wasatch County Scholarship program, Giuliana leads the creative, talent, & production development of the program. She specializes in choreography, talent coaching, stage presence, & performance preparation, helping each young woman identify & showcase the qualities that make her unique. Her extensive experience directing & choreographing productions allow her to bring creativity & structure to the program while helping young women develop confidence & polish. She is passionate about creating an experience that extends far beyond the competition itself. She believes every titleholder should leave the program with greater confidence, stronger leadership skills, meaningful mentorship, & a deeper understanding of her ability to make a difference in her community. Together with Co-Executive Director Aja Phillips, Giuliana has helped build a program that reflects the values of scholarship, service, leadership, personal growth, & excellence. Their goal is to provide young women with the training, support, & opportunities they need to pursue their educational goals, develop their voices, & make a meaningful impact through their Community Service Initiatives. For Giuliana, one of the greatest rewards of serving the Miss Wasatch County Scholarship Foundation is watching young women discover that they are capable of more than they ever imagined & giving them the encouragement, skills, & opportunity to go do it. Giuliana lives in Midway, Utah, with her husband, Max, & their 4 children. She has called Wasatch County home for more than 25 years & is grateful for the opportunity to serve the young women & families of the community she loves.
Judge’s Chair: Jenny Osguthorpe
Jenny has been active in the pageant community throughout her life as both a Miss America Organization competitor & a judge. She currently serves as Judges Chair for the Miss Wasatch County Scholarship Foundation. A graduate of Weber State University with a bachelor's degree in communications & a minor in Public Relations, Jenny has combined her pageant experience & communications background to advocate for agriculture through the American Farm Bureau, Utah Farm Bureau, & the American Sheep Industry Association. She has also served in leadership roles with the Utah Agriculture Promotion Committee, Utah Wool Growers Association, & Utah Wool Growers Women's Auxiliary. Jenny is equally passionate about education & community service, volunteering with the Wasatch Parent Network & Wasatch Education Foundation to support students & strengthen family engagement. With a passion for interview preparation, public speaking, & community service initiative development, Jenny is committed to helping young women become confident, well-rounded leaders who are prepared to make a positive impact in their communities. Jenny lives in Heber with her husband Brad & 2 beautiful daughters.
Assistant Judge’s Chair: Mary Colovich
Mary resides in beautiful Midway, UT with her husband Brad, whom she met at the Salt Lake City Airport. She is a retired Delta Air Lines Flight Attendant, which has afforded her many opportunities to travel the world & experience many cultural adventures. She has been an actress, model & spokesperson for over 40 years, both in Salt Lake City & Los Angeles. Mary has appeared in several movies, TV shows, over 30 television commercials, print ads & runway shows. She is the mother to 4 amazing children & the grandmother to 17 beautiful & talented grandchildren. Competing in the Miss Provo pageant in the 1970’s sparked her love for the pageant world. She grew up in the entertainment industry as the daughter of a Capitol Records Executive along with her mother who was a renowned Hollywood studio musician & violinist for the Utah Symphony until she retired at the age of 82. Mary plays the violin, piano & flute. She loves to golf, travel, & has a passionate love of music especially for “The Beatles” having seen them at the age of 8 years old where she was kissed on the cheek by each of them as they were running off stage to their awaiting limo! She loves volunteering her time & talents to Midway Swiss Days, Midway Boosters, & is a board member of the Miss Wasatch County Scholarship Foundation.
Treasurer: Lorraine Dettman
