Camille Schrier

Camille Schrier, born June 30, 1995, is an American pageant titleholder, biochemist, and Doctor of Pharmacy who achieved national acclaim as Miss America 2020. She made history by winning both Miss Virginia 2019 and Miss America 2020 with an onstage chemistry demonstration for her talent portion, breaking traditional pageant norms. Beyond her pageant honors, Schrier is an influential science communicator, STEM advocate, and public health advocate dedicated to medication safety and empowering young women in technical fields.

About

Camille Thomasina Schrier grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She attended the Hun School of Princeton before beginning her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. She later transferred to Virginia Tech, graduating cum laude in 2018 with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in biochemistry and systems biology alongside a minor in chemistry. Following her undergraduate work, Schrier entered the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Pharmacy in Richmond. In May 2024, she officially earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree with honors, solidifying her background in pharmaceutical sciences.

Pageant Career

Schrier began competing in pageants during her teenage years, winning the National American Miss Pennsylvania Teen title in 2012. After a hiatus, she decided to re-enter competition in 2019 after learning that the Miss America Organization had rebranded to emphasize talent, intellect, and social initiative over swimsuit modeling. For her talent showcase, Schrier wore a lab coat and safety goggles to perform the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide—popularly known as the elephant toothpaste demonstration. She won Miss Virginia 2019 and advanced to the national stage, where she was crowned Miss America 2020 on December 19, 2019, in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Advocacy and Media

As Miss America 2020, Schrier was the first titleholder to win with a science experiment as her talent showcase. When the 2021 pageant was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her term was extended through December 2021, making her one of the longest-serving Miss America holders. Throughout her tenure, she championed her social impact initiative, Mind Your Meds, focusing on prescription drug safety, medication error prevention, and opioid overdose awareness. A certified Naloxone trainer, Schrier delivered keynote speeches, visited schools, created educational television programming with PBS, and spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. Through her Her Royal Scientist initiative, she continues promoting STEM education for students nationwide.