Miss Auburn Cara Rudd

recently finished third runner-up at the Miss Washington Pageant at the Pantages Theater in Tacoma.

Rudd, 21, who was crowned Miss Auburn earlier this year, earned $3,250 in scholarship support through the pageant program. She captured top honors for best overall interview at the state competition.

Miss Tahoma Janet Harding, a 21-year-old from Yelm, was crowned the new Miss Washington. She will represent the state in the Miss America competition, which takes place in January in Las Vegas.

First runner-up was Kristin Cox, Miss Tri-Cities, and second runner-up was Elizabeth Lamb-Ferro, Miss Pierce County.

An honors student, Rudd graduated from Green River Community College and recently, from Seattle Pacific University, with a dual degree in marketing and communications.

She is currently working toward obtaining her MBA and masters in organizational psychology.