Olivia Genevieve Wells (born 29 April 1994, in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

) is an Australian beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned

Miss Universe Australia Miss Universe Australia is a national beauty pageant that selects Australia's representative to the Miss Universe pageant. Miss Universe Australia is not only a beauty pageant but a self-development program that provides a platform for the coun ...

2013 and represented Australia at

Miss Universe 2013 Miss Universe 2013 was the 62nd Miss Universe pageant, held at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow, Russia on November 9, 2013. At the end of the event, Olivia Culpo of the United States crowned Gabriela Isler of Venezuela as Miss Uni ...

in Moscow, Russia on 9 November 2013. She is the first woman to be crowned Miss Universe Australia from the state of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Early life

Wells grew up in the Bayside suburb of Black Rock with her family. Her primary and secondary education was completed

Loreto Mandeville Hall , motto_translation = While I live, I believe in the Cross , location = Toorak, Victoria , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = Australia Melbourne , pushp ...

. During her school years she excelled academically winning the Victorian Premier's Spirit of ANZAC Prize in 2010 and was accepted into the Kwong Le Dow Young Scholars Program at

Melbourne University The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

in 2011. Wells completed high school in 2012 and is a medical student at

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

. After winning Miss Universe Australia 2013 she was forced to take a one-year intermission from her studies.

Miss Universe pageant

The Miss Universe Australia pageant was the first pageant Wells competed in; representing her home state of Victoria and was crowned Miss Universe Australia 2013. She beat out 29 other national finalists from all over the continent. Wells was an underdog in the lead up to the national pageant with betting odds at 51:1 for her taking the title. Wells represented Australia at the

pageant on 9 November 2013 in Moscow. Although considered a favourite, she failed to place in the semifinals, ending Australia's five-year streak of consecutive placements in Miss Universe, from 2008 through 2012.

Career

Wells is an active philanthropist and regularly volunteers her time both locally and internationally. Most notably, Wells is an ambassador for

Operation Smile Operation Smile is a nonprofit medical service organization founded in 1982 by Dr. William P. Magee Jr. and his wife Kathleen (Kathy) S. Magee. It is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition to providing cleft lip and palate repair ...

Australia and has participated in a mission in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. Wells is also an ambassador for the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. As outlined in her answer to her final five question at the Miss Universe Australia pageant, Wells also volunteers weekly with Embrace Education, tutoring English as a second language to children from underprivileged migrant and refugee backgrounds.

References

External links

Olivia Wells Official websiteMiss Universe Australia Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Olivia Living people Miss Universe 2013 contestants Australian beauty pageant winners 1994 births Miss Universe Australia winners Models from Melbourne Australian female models People from Black Rock, Victoria People educated at Loreto Mandeville Hall