Miss Bad-Ass

Shawna L. Sinnott ’10 can kick your ass, ball-gown, high-heels and all.

After competing earlier this year in the Miss Massachusetts USA competition, Sinnott will vie on March 31 for the title of “Miss Cambridge” or “Miss Boston,” by strutting her stuff in a swimsuit, performing her talent—a Fosse-style jazz number—and presenting a platform to judges.

But Sinnott’s not just a pretty face on the catwalk—she’s also the only female from Harvard in the Marine Corps branch of the Navy ROTC, which she calls her “first love.” When she’s not donning high-heels, Sinnott opts for combat boots, waking up early four times a week to train and going on weekend field exercises.

“The focus of ROTC training is to lay a foundation of leadership and also to get people comfortable for a military setting,” said Nicholas H. Schroback, Midshipmen first class and senior at Tufts University.

Clearly, both of Sinnott’s passions are in her genes—Sinnott’s father is a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, while her mother was formerly Miss Rhode Island USA (1978) and Miss Rhode Island World (1980).

“It doesn’t surprise me that she’d want to do something in such a male-dominant environment but keep her own identity in a feminine role that also enables her to help people,” said Sharon Sinnott, Shawna’s mother.

“I like it because I’m out of my element,” Sinnott says. “You can prepare as much as you want, but it’s not like the Corps where you can just train and see an improvement. You can work as hard as you want but in the end, it’s still about people’s opinions.”

She’s got FM’s approval. Good luck, Shawna! Please don’t hurt us.