LauRen, a 5’8” brown-eyed brunette, is the 23-year-old daughter of Dana & Joseph Merola of Pittsburgh. A graduate of Piper High School and Broward College, LauRen plans to continue her work with cancer awareness and prevention while finishing her degree in broadcasting. She hopes to have an accomplished career as a reporter for entertainment television. She enjoys spinning, fishing, fashion, four-wheeling and traveling. LauRen is employed in sales and marketing at ROBE Lighting Inc.
2008 PENNSYLVANIA USA Pageant
LauRen Merola , MISS PENNSYLVANIA USA® 2008 poses for her official crowning with Samantha Johnson , MISS PENNSYLVANIA USA® 2007.
The balance of the “Top 5” were: First Runner-up, Michele Demsky of Philadelphia; Second Runner-up; Gina Cerilli of Greensburg; Third Runner-up, Kristin Szarell of Pittsburgh and Fourth Runner-up, Kristin Rose Garofalo of Bensalem. The Semi-Finalists were: Courtney Nicole Blackhurst of Washington; Valerie Compeggie of Canonsburg; Courtney Lane Smith of Philadelphia;; Kisha Jones of Pittsburgh; Janae Marie Campbell of Lake Harmony; Jo Marie Rankin of Butler; Rachel Humerick of Shippensburg; Lauren Bortz of Hopwood; Kristina Lippert of Moon Twp; and Danielle Petrangeli
of Shrewsbury.
LauRen Merola was also named Miss Photogenic and Heidi Ann Uracius of Wyncote was voted Miss Congeniality.
Crowned by Miss Pennsylvania USA 2007, Samantha Johnson, LauRen will represent her state at the annual MISS USA Pageant, which will be broadcast live on NBC Television in the spring of 2008.
