Rachel Smith crowned Miss USA 2007

Rachel Smith, a 21-year old journalism graduate from Belmont University, has won the Miss USA 2007 pageant. Smith, who hails from Clarksville, Tennessee, is the second Tennessean in seven years to win the Miss USA title.

"I'm speechless at this point, I really am," said Smith. Smith also stated that she wanted to start a philanthropic organization of her own. She said, “Being Miss USA, being Miss Tennessee USA, is a way to get there. You're an ambassador, a humanitarian. It's helping me fulfill, eventually, what my dream is, all the while helping others." Smith has performed voluntary work in South Africa.

The pageant was held on Friday night, at the Kodak theatre, Hollywood, and saw contestants competing from 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Smith was crowned by the previous Miss USA title holder, Tara Conner. Conner, belonging to Kentucky, was nearly stripped of her title due to alcohol addiction. The decision to take away her title was revoked by pageant co-owner Donald Trump, amidst much criticism. Conner was sent into rehabilitation.

"It has been the most unforgettable year of my life and I'm back and better than ever," Conner said to the ecstatic audience at the Kodak Theatre.

"[It was] the worst time for [the scandal] to happen, but in the same sense, it was the best time for all of this to happen," Conner thus stated in Kentucky's Herald-Ledger last month. "It made me truly appreciate the little things in life, made me truly appreciate my job and the role in this society. It humbled me a lot. It taught me how to be honest. It taught me to be the genuine Tara. I didn't know who she was."

The panel of six judges consisted of various noted personalities: Famous talk show host Jerry Springer, MTV’s Vanessa Minnilo, Baby Phat President Kimora Lee Simmons, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss, “Blow Out” star Jonathon Antin, and E! News co-host Giuliana De Pandi. The pageant was hosted by Nancy O’Dell, of Access Hollywood fame.

5 feet 11 inches tall Smith, recently completed a stint at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls at South Africa. She has worked as an intern at the Harpo Productions in Chicago. She was born in Panama to military parents who served at Fort Campbell.

Smith is the fourth African-American to win the title.

Smith will be awarded a two-year scholarship from the New York Film Academy as a winner of the pageant. The final five selected by the jury were: Meagan Yvonne Tandy of California, Cara Renee Gorges of Kansas, Helen Salas of Nevada, Rachel Smith of Tennessee and Danielle Lacourse of Rhode Island.

While the audience selected Rebecca Moore of Alabama as Miss Photogenic, the contestants voted Stephanie Trudeau of Montana as Miss Congeniality.

Smith was a top-ten finalist at the Miss Tennessee Teen USA in 2002 as well. Smith and Columbia’s Lynette Cole have been the only Volunteer State representatives to win the Miss USA crown in the pageant’s 55 year history.

Smith will now represent USA at the Miss Universe pageant to be held in Mexico city this year. USA won the Miss Universe title ten years ago in 1997, with Brook Lee from Hawai as the winner.