Sophia Parker: Selfless Service

Sophia Parker is a force to be reckoned with. At 27, she has already spent seven years serving in the Vermont Army National Guard, earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing while working full-time, and continues to rehabilitate wildlife as a volunteer. She just started a new job as a nurse manager at Elderwood at Uihlein in Lake Placid, New York, an assisted living facility. She’s drawn to the fact that folks make Elderwood their home, and the idea that she can impact their lives.

Sophia’s commitment to service and her community started early, in her hometown of Vergennes. She started engaging in wildlife rehabilitation as an elementary student, and she and her mother created Otter Creek Wildlife Rescue in Addison. As licensed wildlife rehabilitators, they take in animals and birds, and coordinate volunteers to transport injured animals to other rehabilitators. She also served on the Vergennes Rescue Squad as a teen. That dedication to care had a lasting impact, and Sophia would eventually parlay those skills, and her deep connection to people, into careers in nursing and the Vermont National Guard.

Earning scholarships as Miss Vermont Teen and Miss Vermont

Sophia was always a saver. She started mowing lawns and babysitting as soon as neighbors would hire her, always looking for ways to make herself a stand-out candidate.

When she was in ninth grade a teacher (understanding that Sophia would need financial support to go to college) suggested that Sophia get involved in speech competitions and even more community service opportunities. That path led Sophia to the Miss Vermont Teen competition, which she won on her second try. “I was skeptical at first, but I liked the other candidates and the people I met. I had a really positive experience, and I grew so much that year,” she said.

With the crown came thousands of dollars in scholarship money, and Sophia returned to the stage a few years later to compete for Miss Vermont. She didn’t place her first year, was first runner-up her second year, and won on her third try.

That win kicked off a year of service, which she just wrapped up in late April. Sophia was working as an emergency room nurse during her tenure as Miss Vermont, and she spent her nights, days off, and weekends making appearances around the state and volunteering. She also competed at Miss America, where she platformed her service as a National Guard medic and her commitment to wildlife rehabilitation.

That experience—serving in the public eye, giving media interviews, and interviewing for the jobs of Miss Vermont and Miss America—gave Sophia skills she will lean on for the rest of her career.

"I'll never be scared of a job interview,” she stated. “I one-hundred percent attribute my ability to get the job I just did at Elderwood because of the experience I gained as Miss Vermont, competing for Miss Vermont, and in the military.”

An unconventional path to her college degree

When Sophia graduated from Vergennes Union High School, she initially enrolled at a four-year college. She left after one semester, worried about the amount of debt she was accumulating. She was already working full-time to support herself, hashing together part-time jobs as a lifeguard, in food delivery, and at a local shop.

She took some time away and enlisted in the Vermont National Guard. “I wanted the training,” she noted. “And to be part of something bigger than myself. Most of all, I think I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.”

She completed her basic training, then AIT training, and started working for the Guard full-time during the pandemic, doing COVID readiness and response. At the same time, she was taking online classes at Community College of Vermont (CCV) to complete the prerequisites for a nursing degree.

“I always gravitated towards nursing,” she added. “For a while I thought I might go to veterinary school, but the face-to-face, hands-on care with patients that nurses get really spoke to me. I wanted to build meaningful connections with my patients.”

Sophia was accepted into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Vermont State University’s Castleton campus. She commuted from Addison—where she now lives—for her classes and completed clinicals in Burlington and Rutland.

“So much of college was just keeping my head above water,” she said. “I knew I would have to work full-time in school, so I did as much online as possible. The ability to get as many credits as possible without being wedded to a campus and classes during the workday was huge, and helped me keep the costs of getting my degree down.”

Paying for college

Sophia always knew she would have to pay for college on her own. She says her parents are incredibly supportive of her but didn’t have the means to contribute to her education. She pursued every path available to her, and with the help of the Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program, federal financial aid, grants administered by VSAC, and her Miss Vermont scholarships she graduated debt-free with her bachelor's degree in 2024.

“Having clarity and help throughout the process to my bachelor’s degree was so helpful. VSAC, the Guard, and my school advisors worked together and were so helpful to me. Navigating the paperwork and complexities that come with financial aid from so many different places was tough, but it was doable with their help,” she shared.

Sophia is focused on working and her new job at Elderwood and is currently inactive with the Guard, but she is considering eventually earning a graduate degree to become a nurse practitioner. And, she has about $10,000 remaining in her Miss Vermont scholarships to put toward it when she does.

“I am the product of my community,” she says. While she worked incredibly hard, she credits others—her teachers, mentors, coworkers, and family—with wrapping support around her so she could grow.

For other teens and young adults who might find themselves also reaching for more, Sophia offers the following advice:

If you are passionate about something, there are 100 ways you can do it. Find people who can help you, share resources, network, volunteer, and make connections. Service is so important for connecting and finding meaning in life. Keep an open mind, because you might not end up on the same path you thought you were going to be on. Be willing to work hard, be humble, and don’t underestimate yourself.