Get to Know: Madisen Vetter

When Madisen Vetter was attending Central High School, she kept herself busy with plenty of extracurricular activities, particularly with the school’s music program. She was in Show Choir for seven years, All State Chorus for three, Vocal Jazz for two, and was also involved with the Acapella Choir and any other vocal activity out there. After graduating in 2022, she kept up her momentum and added to her ever-growing repertoire of activities. 

In February of this year, she was crowned Miss Central States Fair 2023 and started her journey to compete for Miss South Dakota this June. 

She currently attends The University of South Dakota and is pursuing a double major in Legal Studies and Political Science on the Pre-Law track. Since January, she has been living in Pierre and is currently interning for the Governor’s Office until May. This summer, she plans on staying in Pierre and will intern with the Attorney General’s office under Consumer Protection.

Q. How does your work reflect your passion? 

A. My work reflects my passions in multiple areas. Within the Governor’s office and what I am studying, I am given the opportunity to meet a lot of people and gain a lot of knowledge and experience. I am passionate about making a difference and leaving the world a better place than I came into it, which is why I decided to study law and politics. I was once told that you can either sit back and watch people make decisions for you, or you can help be a voice in making those decisions, and I want to be that voice for others. Politically, my involvement helps me advocate for things that are important to me, whereas my involvement in the Miss America organization allows me to copy and paste that into another area of my life. 

Q. What is something that you love about the Aberdeen community? 

A. One thing that I always get asked when I am being social is where I am from and what I was involved in. I always get the opportunity to praise Aberdeen where I tell people about the opportunities this community has. The most impressive thing about Aberdeen is that no matter where you go, you will always run into people to visit with. Whether you’re at the grocery store or a public event, there is always an opportunity to meet people and form connections, and still have big city opportunities. 

Q. What do you like to do in your free time? 

A. Honestly, with all the things I am involved in, I don’t have a lot of free time. Between being a full-time student, intern and local queen, a lot of my time is spent building my future. When I do get a free second, I like to read books about psychology or utopian societies, along with finding new things to try, like a new coffee shop or top golf. 

Q. Where is one of your favorite places to go in Aberdeen? 

A. One of my favorite things to do in Aberdeen is go to Thunder Road. Every summer my friends and I ride go karts, mini golf or walk around Storybook Land. This is where some of my best memories were made. When it is snowy or not favorable weather, I love going to Red Rooster Coffee House or attending a Wings Game! 

Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself? 

A. One word I would use to describe myself is determined. I am constantly finding ways to further my connections, career, and community. I am multiple steps ahead of what I am supposed to be at 19 and a freshman in my undergraduate degree. I am also competing at Miss South Dakota a lot younger than I ever thought I would. I foresee me staying determined and making Aberdeen proud. 

Q. Why is community involvement important to you? 

A. Community involvement is important to me, but it is also important to the wellbeing of each community. Involvement is a win-win situation, it helps build young adults’ connections and skills along with building the awareness and fresh perspective of businesses and programs. It is important to me personally, because I would not be the person I am today without the involvement of my community along with their support. 

Q. What have you learned during your Miss South Dakota journey? 

A. I have not been on the journey to Miss South Dakota for very long, only a few months, but I have had tremendous embrace and support. The most important thing I have learned is that in order to be successful you have to be brave enough to ask questions. There are a lot of things in life that I am still learning, along with how to compete. People cannot help you reach a goal if you don’t ask and 9 times out of 10 people are more than willing to support you. 

Q. What have you learned with your interning experience? 

A. I have been blessed by being able to intern in the Governor’s office. I have learned many things from how the executive office works to how to interact with people you might not always agree with. The main takeaway from this experience has been how to stay professional in tough situations. With me only being 19 years old, sometimes it is hard to stay mature and levelheaded. After being around very important people and successful people, that has rubbed off on me, which will definitely benefit me in the future. //