Following her Army service, Miss Roy enrolls at WSU to serve patients as a paramedic 

Jaime Winston BA ’22, Marketing & Communication

Loryn Merrill plans on a career serving patients as a paramedic, much as she served her nation in the U.S. Army and city as Miss Roy.

She can’t think of a better place to continue her service streak than the medical field.

In the Army, Merrill worked in a clinic where, among her many duties, she gave vaccinations, managed medications and performed examinations to gather information for providers. Outside the clinic, she treated soldiers injured in training exercises.

“I did a lot of COVID swabbing, tracking and tracing as well,” she said.

While the Army provided her with new experiences and allowed her to travel the world, prior to arriving at Weber State for the fall 2023 semester, she took on a challenge unlike anything before. She entered the 2023 Miss Roy Scholarship Competition and won.

As Miss Roy, she loves being involved in service projects for the city. Her professional network has grown to include members of the city council, first responders and Mayor Robert Dandoy. Being Miss Roy also gave Merrill an opportunity to pursue a passion, encouraging others to meet, spend time with and learn from senior citizens.

“In Roy, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people over age 70 who live alone and just have nobody to spend time with them,” Merrill said.

Merrill has worked with volunteers at assisted living communities to meet the need, and she encourages others to get involved. She has also provided companionship and help with daily tasks for adults with disabilities at a group home.

Merrill will compete for the Miss Utah crown in June 2024.

Aside from preparing for the pageant, she recently earned her EMT certification and is completing prerequisites for WSU’s paramedic program. After some time saving lives as a paramedic, she eventually wants to help patients as a physician.