A child of music teachers , Williams grew up in a musical household , studying classical and jazz dance , French horn , piano , and violin . She was offered the Presidential Scholarship for Drama to attend Carnegie Mellon University during the college application period , ( one of 12 students to receive it ) but decided instead to attend Syracuse University on a different scholarship . Thus , in 1981 , Williams joined Syracuse 's College of Visual and Performing Arts , Department of Drama as a musical theater major . She stayed at Syracuse through her second year until she was crowned Miss America 1984 in September 1983
Miss America 1984
Miss America 1984
Vanessa Williams