Creighton University | The 402

I have been a performer (coughcough a show off coughcough) since I could smile for photos. In every old-school VHS home movie, I’m the loud one trying to get my Dad’s attention, singing, or making up a dance (and forcing my brothers to join in). In junior high I LOVED choir and show choir.. a passion that continued into high school, along with theater and speech. I did not, however, ever take dance.. and it shows. I am NOT good.

That being said, for someone who knows nothing technically about it, I am MESMERIZED by dance. Telling a story without words, transmitting emotions through movement, so many backgrounds and styles, all connected yet all so different.

For an Omaha woman, dancing isn’t just a hobby, it’s been part of her soul for as long as she can remember.

MISS HEARTLAND 2015 STEFFANI JIROUX

(Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography)

“I started dancing since I was the ripe age of two and a half. Basically, I went from getting comfortable with walking into learning how to point my toes in a short time,” Steffani told me recently. “Ever since that first class, I fell in love with the art form of dance. I realized that it stimulates my brain and body at the same time while capturing every emotion I could feel. It is a beautiful way to express myself, and now it is a part of me.”

It’s a piece of her heart that Steffani shares every time she steps onto a stage.. which she does a lot. She’s danced at the collegiate level, as backup for Weird Al, and as you see below, for classic ballet performances.

Steffani competing at the Miss Nebraska Pageant in 2013 as Miss Lincoln & performing in a recent production

“Dance is my first love,” said Steffani, who in the last year alone has starred as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty and the lead in Paquita. “It is the thing I go to when I need a boost, and the stage is the place where I can say with the utmost truth, I feel alive. I truly live for the moment I step out of the light, BOOM, and await my music. It is those seconds where both nerves and enthrallment combine; it’s the moment you can hear a pin drop; it is the time I feel nothing but myself and God and where time seems to stop. With that, I am confident in saying that being able to share my talent with others is my favorite thing to do. It is sharing something that God has granted me, and in that I cannot ask for anything more.”

Steffani danced throughout her undergrad years at Creighton University, cheering on the sidelines of all home basketball games at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center (including for now NBA basketball player Doug McDermott). She’s still at Creighton, immediately pursuing her law degree after earning her BSBA in Management. Steffani plans to become an entertainment attorney.

“I think versatility is an element of uniqueness and I strive to fulfill it,” said Steffani. “Some can’t understand how the world of law intrigues me as a dancer and someone who likes to wear a lot of pink. Now, my nickname is Legally Blonde (and fun fact, I had already owned a chihuahua, Shadow, since I was 2). I am okay with that because it is a movie about embracing being yourself in a world that clings to conformity. No matter what, purely being yourself will guide you to your ultimate goals.”

That is a message Steffani is now bringing to young people as Miss Heartland, in addition to her personal platform ‘Arts For Academic Excellence; The Benefits of Fine Arts In The Education Of Our Youth’.

“I have been graced with the opportunity to partake in many forms of art, and I realize just how beneficial it has been throughout my life,” said Steffani. “I have started a service project called Tutus N’ Dance Shoes, where I set up boxes in dance studios around Omaha in order to collect lightly used dance wear and shoes. I organize them and bring them to dance programs where the children don’t necessarily have the means to buy a new pair of tap shoes because they grew out of their last one or just don’t have the means in general to afford the necessities dance requires.”

Steffani says she didn’t just wake up one day and decide to compete for Miss Nebraska, nor did she realize, as she puts it, that her lifestyle and experiences were preparing her for this role and competition. In a way, this adventure is simply another stage for Steffani to showcase her passions.

“The Miss America Organization provides brilliant young women with an opportunity to share their voices, touch others, and be the change they hope to see in the world,” said Steffani. “As Miss Heartland, I know that I can truly be myself through every step of the way. We are all ourselves, we are all so different and have so much to offer. I can honestly say that I present myself and act with the utmost respect everyday; none of that changes when we affix the sparkle upon our head. Competing to me means making a difference and making the days of all the new faces I see while on an appearance.”

Now, this law student, volunteer and dancing queen wants to stay in the spotlight.. but on a MUCH bigger stage.

“Being Miss Nebraska would be absolutely fulfilling,” said Steffani. “Because making everyone else’s day a bit brighter is my dream job.”

(Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography)

Follow Miss Heartland 2015 Steffani Jiroux and contact her for appearances and events

on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For information on becoming a future contestant, contact Director Chelsey Jungck at 308-382-1710 or by email at cjungck@statefair.org.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant will take place June 3-6, 2015 in North Platte. Click here to visit the organization’s website, to visit the pageant on Facebook, to follow the pageant on Twitter, and to follow the pageant on Instagram.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Scotts Bluff County 2015 Brittany Eckerberg

NEXT.. Miss Douglas County 2015 Alyssa Howell

To read more about the Miss Nebraska Class of 2014, click on the ‘There She Is’ link at the top of the page.

There’s a twitter account I ADORE right now: @JournalistsLike. The account administrator (I’m not even sure who he/she is!) shares tweets from around the country from journalists, using #PartyLikeAJournalist as our connecting thread.

@SunGriwkowskyC: Wonder if the fact that the election is on Cinco de Mayo will mean newsroom burritos instead of the traditional pizza? #partylikeajournalist

@MissyRileyNews: I probably won’t sleep until Sweeps is over. #LifeOfAJournalist #partylikeajournalist

@jlivi2: Waiting for calls back like……. #partylikeajournalist

Speaking for my fellow reporters here at KETV.. it is AMAZING how representative this is!! We ALWAYS have pizza on election night! Ratings periods, dubbed ‘sweeps’ in TV news, are arguably the most stressful times of our year when we put in extra hours for more in-depth stories. And waiting for calls.. on deadline.. often FEELS like FOR.EV.ER.

No matter what market you’re working in, where you are at in your career, or what type of beat you cover in news every day, there are things that bind us all together as journalists. I saw that firsthand Friday night at the Omaha Press Club, honored to present closing remarks at the 2015 OPC Scholarship Awards Dinner, which also recognized this year’s Career Achievement and Journalism Educator Award winners.

I was also at this dinner 12 years ago… as a scholarship recipient.

The recipients of the Mark O. Gautier, Jr. Intern Award. SIX of us either work or have worked at KETV.

When I applied for this scholarship, I had interned at KETV THREE SEPARATE TIMES; twice in news and once in sports. I was a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and mentioned to my mentor, the man who hired me and guided me through each of my internships, KETV Assignment Editor Joe Kasmir, that I was applying for the Gautier Award. Joe suggested I ask KETV News Director Rose Ann Shannon to write me a letter of recommendation. Thankfully she did, and with her much appreciated support I was honored with this scholarship. It was the first of many ways Rose Ann offered me a hand when I was a green, wannabe broadcaster, opening a door for me to get into this business with a little extra oomph to push me along.

This is all part of what I shared in my speech Friday night, and I’m sharing it all here on my blog as well with a few hopes; first, that it encourages anyone reading this to consider a donation the Omaha Press Club Scholarship fund, and second, that maybe it connects–that we connect–with aspiring journalists just like I once was. These awards not only provide a nice financial bonus for students who are often trying to take on unpaid journalism internships in addition to classwork, but it shows them someone out there believes in them. Someone wants them to succeed. Someone thinks they’ve got what it takes to be a journalist; to tell good stories, to tell their community what’s going on in the world, and to be trusted that what we are telling them is FACT. I didn’t think Rose Ann Shannon even knew my name back then; I won that scholarship and thought, ‘hey, maybe she does know who I am.. and maybe she thinks I’m doing a good job.’

Three of this year’s scholarship recipients, one from each university represented, briefly spoke at Friday night’s ceremony. Mara Klecker has already spent time in Australia and Ecuador, chronicling current events and interning with major outlets like National Geographic. Scott Prewitt is the editor-in-chief of the Creightonian, even filming, editing and narrating a mini-documentary which debuted at the Omaha Film Festival. Matthew Barros has been an active contributor to UNO sports radio and spoke with so much enthusiasm and professionalism Friday night, he made US excited to be in the same field as him. I daresay I speak for many people in that audience as to how excited we are that these students are the future of our business.

Broadcasting is constantly evolving and changing, never more than now. The world can turn to Twitter, to Facebook, to cable, to text messages and Google searches, but in the end, journalists can provide something no one else can: FACT. True information. We are the microphone for the child’s voice who isn’t heard. We are the siren for the scandal under the radar. We are clarity when people are confused and need answers. And we are passing the torch on to people like the 18 students in that room Friday night. It’s an awesome responsibility, and it’s one hell of a ride.

Photo courtesy Dailykos.com

December 5, 2007 was a day that arguably, no Omaha journalist will ever forget. We all started very early that day because President Bush was in the city. By early afternoon, most of us were back in our buildings, formulating presidential visit coverage for our newscasts, websites and papers. 1:00, I was sitting at my desk when the scanners in our newsroom started going crazy; there had been a shooting. Rose Ann came out of her office and we all heard ‘man down at the bottom of the escalator.’ I will never forget Rose Ann’s reaction in that moment, saying ‘we’ve got to put everything we’ve got on this.’ In those short seconds, I hadn’t even had time to process what dispatchers were saing, yet Rose Ann just KNEW this event was unprecedented. Her instinct told her this was very, very bad.

Inside Westroads Mall, a teenager had shot and killed nine people, including himself, and wounded four others. That cold, overcast day right before Christmas became one of the darkest days in Omaha history.

But that’s the thing. That day was history. As unthinkable, as tragic, and as terrible as that day was, Omaha journalists chronicled that history. It’s our job to tell people what is going on. Thankfully we also cover INCREDIBLE moments; reunions, joyous events that bring us to tears, things that literally seem to be miracles before our eyes. I’ll never forget covering my first Nebraska football game, standing on the field at Memorial Stadium and literally feeling the adrenaline rise within me as 85,000 fans surrounding me screamed for the Huskers. Who else, in what job, gets to witness history like journalists?

The other reason I brought this up Friday was because of what Rose Ann showed me that day: instinct. Sheer listening, feeling, knowing what was a story before anyone else did. Rose Ann has been in broadcast journalism now for 40 years, and that day, it was like she was still a beat reporter out in the field everyday. SHE JUST KNEW.

THAT is something within all journalists, something that drives us to want to tell stories, and to tell the rest of the world what is going on. It’s the common thread that links all of us, from the college student just starting out, to the news veteran with decades under his or her belt.

And all of us were in one room together Friday. Ironically, as I spoke to these 18 scholarship recipients and their families, I also spoke to Rose Ann, still my News Director, Larry Walklin, my college professor, and arguably the best of the best in Nebraska news. Rose Ann and Dr. Walklin were honored Friday night for their dedication and accomplishments in journalism.

KETV News Director Rose Ann Shannon, receiving the 2015 Omaha Press Club Career Achievement Award

To Rose Ann and Dr. Walklin, THANK YOU for believing in me and helping me believe in myself a little more. Thank you to all of the parents, teachers, mentors and friends who encourage and support aspiring journalists; the hours are long, the timing is terrible and the stress is high. Most of all, to the 18 men and women who are joining us in this crazy world, and reigniting our passion all over again, CONGRATULATIONS, and good luck.

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CONGRATULATIONS to the following 2015 OPC Scholarship recipients!

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA – LINCOLN

Joseph Hoile, Vanessa Daves, Jane Ngo, Madison Wurtele, Brent BonFleur, Mara Klecker, Christopher Heady, Natasha Rausch

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA – OMAHA

Angela Eastep, Matthew Barros, Nick Beaulieu, Maria Brown, Marin Krause

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Anthony Robinson, Catherine Adams, Michael Holdsworth, Krysta Larson, Scott Prewitt

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Click here for more information about the Omaha Press Club and how to become a member. (You DO NOT need to be a working media member to join!)

Click here for more information about the Omaha Press Club Foundation and scholarships for future journalists.