As newly crowned Miss South Dakota USA 2008, Charlie Buhler, of Mitchell, South Dakota, is determined to make a difference, inspire change, and provide an example of how perseverance and dedication can empower women to reach their goals. Charlie hopes that her title will bring her many such opportunities.

Charlie, 19, is currently a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame pursuing a double major in Film, Theatre, and Television (FTT) and American Studies, with a concentration in Journalism and Italian. She aspires to have a career in the media industry, and fulfill her dream of becoming a respected filmmaker and journalist.

Charlie realizes the importance of an education and has always striven towards academic excellence, as evidenced by her 4.0 grade point average throughout high school, her placement on the Dean’s List at the University of Notre Dame, and her nomination as a Franklyn E. Doan fellow.

Her many accomplishments reach beyond her successes in the classroom, and include election to the position of Notre Dame Freshman Class President, Student Leader for Notre Dame Summer Leadership Institute, and Dorm Council Representative. Charlie is featured on both the book cover and poster for the “Thanking Father Ted” campaign, celebrating 35 years of co-education and women in leadership at Notre Dame. In 2006, she could be found sporting a milk mustache in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, and Disney’s Wide World of Sports, as a Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache Award (SAMMY) recipient.

Concerned with the growing level of youth violence, Charlie has been involved with “Take Ten”, an organization that teaches children positive alternatives to violence. Breast cancer awareness is also a cause about which Charlie is very passionate. Both her paternal and maternal grandmothers are survivors of breast cancer and their experience has motivated her to promote initiatives like the Pink Campaign and Race for Breast Cancer.

When not studying or volunteering, Charlie also enjoys acting, producing short films, downhill skiing, diving, making use of her open water scuba diving certification, traveling, and working towards her private pilot’s license.

Believing that “The future is created by the choices we make right now”, Charlie dreams of using journalism and film to encourage youth to be cognizant of world events, and feel empowered to promote change. She hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams, and aspires to one day create films that will give voice to the silenced and shed light on the hidden injustices that occur everyday in society.

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