Kára McCullough was born in Naples, Italy, but raised in Virginia Beach for the majority of her childhood. Her mother’s position as Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy exposed Kára to many different cultures and places at a young age, including Sicily, Japan, South Korea and Hawaii. For as long as she can remember, Kára has been fascinated with science and the impact it has on our everyday lives, leading her to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a concentration in Radiochemistry from South Carolina State University. Her major provided her opportunities to intern at many universities, which paved the way to her current career as a scientist for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Kára is the founder of a self-funded community outreach program called “Science Exploration for Kids” (SE4K), which creates interactive activities celebrating math and science to cultivate a passion for STEM among children. Outside of her work for the government and in the community, Kára enjoys cooking specialty foods and rollerblading around the city. Kára is looking forward to meeting this year's contestants and hopes to bring home the Miss Universe crown.