While University of Florida College of Nursing student Caroline Schapansky wears many hats — beauty queen, nursing student and student senator — they all align with a shared purpose: advocating for and uplifting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“At the heart of everything I do, whether it’s nursing, pageants or advocacy, it’s all about serving. That’s what drives me. To me, these roles aren’t separate. They’re all connected by a mission to serve, include and love people better,” Caroline said.
Crowned Miss Ocala earlier this year, Caroline uses the pageant stage as a platform for disability advocacy. Her visibility and passion for the cause earned her an invitation to April’s 2025 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C., where she joined advocates from around the country to meet with members of Congress and discuss pressing issues affecting people with disabilities and their families.
Caroline, along with caregivers and parents of disabled individuals and two advocates with a disability, met with officials from four Florida legislative offices.
“We asked legislators to protect Medicaid funding, support home-based care services and preserve state flexibility,” she said.
She hopes to follow up with the legislators and has a scheduled meeting locally with Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla.
“Wearing a crown gives me a microphone. And I use it to amplify the voices that are too often ignored,” she said.
When she began competing in pageants, she had to choose a mission to support. She volunteered as a leader in a Young Life Capernaum program, an organization that unites teens and young adults with and without disabilities to develop friendships.
“I had a friend with a disability tell me, ‘Thank you for making me feel seen,’” Caroline said. “That’s when I realized there was an even greater need for advocacy in a much bigger way.”
Her advocacy extends beyond the spotlight. Caroline founded Through the Looking Glass, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting inclusion and a deeper understanding of people with disabilities. She also partners with The ARC of Alachua and Marion counties, where she works closely with individuals and families impacted by developmental disabilities.
On campus, Caroline serves as a student senator representing the College of Nursing. In this role, she champions policies, accessibility improvements and enhanced campus resources for students with disabilities. She collaborates with the UF Disability Resource Center and engages with student organizations to foster greater awareness and action across the university community. She also works with UF’s Best Buddies, which promotes friendship, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“I think people often look at me and see a pageant girl or a nursing student, and they don’t always realize that I’m also in policy meetings, advocating for people with disabilities,” she said.
Balancing nursing school, student government responsibilities and nonprofit work is no small task. But for Caroline, her strength and sense of direction come from a deeper place.
“When I’m serving alongside these incredible people, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” she said. “Faith keeps me grounded. Whether I’m in scrubs, in a sash or a Senate meeting, I try to carry the same spirit of compassion and grace.”
Looking ahead, Caroline hopes to become a nurse practitioner focusing on disability care. Her long-term vision is clear: to continue working alongside those who have filled her life with love, purpose and joy. She knows that change does not often come easily or swiftly, and she is prepared to continue the drumbeat.
“Being in D.C. and talking to lawmakers made me realize that change is possible, but we have to keep showing up, keep sharing stories and keep pushing for better policies,” she said.