Miss Norway of Greater NY crowned
Lene Samuelsen takes the title, while Susannah O’Shea is named Miss Norwegian Heritage
Photo: Eddie Johannessen
Lene Victoria Samuelsen will represent the Greater New York Norwegian-American community at events throughout 2016 as Miss Norway.
Roy Jorgensen
Hopewell Junction, N.Y.
On March 19 the Norwegian Immigration Association, Inc. sponsored the 61st annual Miss Norway contest.
The contest-luncheon was carried off “smooth as silk,” as one person described the event, at Nilsen Hall in the Norwegian Christian Home and Health Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Lene Victoria Samuelsen of Greenwich, Conn., was chosen as the new Miss Norway of Greater New York and will be representing the Norwegian-American community at events in the area for the coming year. The lovely Miss Samuelsen has impressive credentials from Lehigh University, Penn., with majors in Political Science and Global Studies and minors in Business and Asian Studies, which no doubt impressed the folks at Bloomberg L.P., NYC, where she is working as an equity specialist for the analytics department.
Samuelsen is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Samuelsen, who have Norwegian roots in Farsund, Kvinnesdal. Lene has been a frequent visitor to Norway, including taking a summer session at the University of Oslo. She is proud of her Norwegian-American heritage, which will be enriched by the trip to Norway she wins as first prize in this contest.
The Norwegian community looks forward to seeing Miss Norway in the Syttende Mai Parade on May 15 in Brooklyn.
Photo: Eddie Johannessen
Susannah O’Shea, Miss Norwegian Heritage.
The title of Miss Norwegian Heritage has been revived for the runner-up in the contest, and that title went to Miss Susannah O’Shea of Brooklyn.
Susannah is a student at Staten Island (NY) College with a goal of becoming a chemistry teacher, and is currently student teaching at Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, Brooklyn. She has won numerous collegiate scientific awards including a STEM Internship in St. Petersburg, Russia, which afforded her a view of the Russian educational system.
Her influence in Norwegian traditions and culture comes from her mother’s family, who have their roots in Buskerud, Norway.
Susannah will also appear in the Syttende Mai Parade and other events in Brooklyn throughout the year.
This article originally appeared in the April 8, 2016, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
