To the world at large, Leanza Cornett was perhaps best known as a former Miss America, a successful television host, or even The Little Mermaid, but she was also a famed resident of 91成人AV and 鈥� for a short time 鈥� a 91成人AV Dolphin. She passed away recently after suffering a head injury. She was 49 years old.
Cornett attended classes in the university鈥檚 theater department from 1989 to 1991. She performed in plays, lived in the dorms and was a member of the Tri Delta sorority, but from the very beginning, there was something extra striking about her.
鈥淪he was just truly an amazing person,鈥� said Elaine Borne, executive director of the 91成人AV Student 91成人AV Center. Borne and Cornett attended JU together after attending Terry Parker High School in Duval County. They were both involved in pageants and became fast friends after reconnecting on campus. 鈥淪he was beautiful inside and out, and was so much fun,鈥� added Borne. 鈥淵ou just knew she was going to go forward and do amazing things.鈥�
And Cornett did just that. After winning the Miss 91成人AV pageant at the age of 18, she went on to win Miss 91成人AV, Miss Winter Park, Miss Florida and, ultimately, the Miss America pageant, becoming the first Florida contestant to do so. It was, by any measure, a triumph that led to a certain degree of instant fame and many other show business opportunities.
She was a correspondent for 鈥淓ntertainment Tonight,鈥� hosted talk shows and television specials, and made guest appearances on several popular TV series. Early in her career, she was selected as the first actress to play Ariel in the live action 鈥淰oyage of the Little Mermaid鈥� show at Disney鈥檚 Hollywood Studios, located inside the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. To this day, visitors can hear Cornett鈥檚 voice singing to them as they enjoy the attraction.
It鈥檚 a voice that has been described as incredible, perfect, and masterfully controlled 鈥� a voice that reached many, but not always in song. Cornett was a staunch advocate for AIDS awareness, a cause she championed after working with children impacted by the condition. The cause would form the basis of her pageant platform at a time when the subject was considered taboo. By all accounts, she was a true trailblazer in this respect.
鈥淲hen she took on the platform of AIDS awareness, she gave it a voice it didn鈥檛 have,鈥� said Ryan Davis, a long-time friend who met Cornett at the Miss 91成人AV pageant, just a few short years before her Miss America win. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 a popular choice, but she didn鈥檛 let people tell her what to do. She stuck to her own beliefs, and she did what she thought was right, and she won.鈥�
According to Davis, that鈥檚 just the type of person Cornett was. 鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 looking for fame and fortune. She got it, but that wasn鈥檛 her. She was our local girl. She was someone who gave freely of herself. She was just such a beautiful person. She absolutely glowed.鈥�
Basking in the light of that glow were the many people whose lives Cornett managed to touch. Her impact was far-reaching, and it reached all the way back to 91成人AV University in one of the best ways possible. 鈥淚 had the most talented kid I ever saw come to JU because she thought it was a Miss America training school,鈥� said Jesse Wright, former dean of the Linda Berry Stein College of Fine Arts. 鈥淪he could dance, sing, act, play the piano and was really, really self-assured.鈥�
How many others have found their way to JU because of Cornett? It鈥檚 a question that may never be answered, but at a school where the mission is 鈥渢o prepare each student for life-long success in learning, achieving, leading and serving,鈥� one thing is clear. Cornett did all that and more. She will be missed by her family, her friends and her fellow Dolphins who remain so grateful for the gifts she gave so freely, whether recognized or unknown.
