▁Miss ▁South ▁Carolina ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁where ▁she ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ten . ▁ ▁At ▁Miss ▁Un iverse , ▁Stevens on ▁received ▁a ▁tied ▁final ▁score ▁with ▁Mar tha ▁Ro cha ▁of ▁Brazil . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁tie , ▁the ▁woman ▁de emed ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁better ▁phys ique ▁was ▁crown ed ▁the ▁winner , ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁major ▁spons or ▁of ▁the ▁page ant ▁being ▁Catal ina ▁Sw im we ar . ▁This ▁was ▁determined ▁to ▁be ▁Stevens on , ▁due ▁to ▁having ▁" f itter " ▁h ips ▁than ▁Ro cha . ▁She ▁was ▁crown ed ▁Miss ▁Un iverse ▁by ▁out going ▁title holder ▁Christian e ▁Mart el ▁of ▁France . ▁After ▁winning ▁the ▁title , ▁Stevens on ▁decided ▁to ▁award ▁part ▁of ▁her ▁prize ▁to ▁Ro cha , ▁grant ing ▁her ▁the ▁new ▁car ▁that ▁she ▁was ▁awarded . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁her ▁reign , ▁she ▁crown ed ▁H ille vi ▁Rom bin ▁of ▁Sweden ▁as ▁Miss ▁Un iverse ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁ ▁After ▁acting ▁at ▁Universal ▁Studios ▁in ▁Hollywood ▁for ▁one ▁year ▁through ▁a ▁film ▁contract ▁she ▁won ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁her ▁Miss ▁Un iverse ▁package , ▁Stevens on ▁made ▁head lines ▁in ▁Vari ety ▁when ▁she ▁announced ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁be ▁returning ▁home ▁to ▁South ▁Carolina ▁to ▁finish ▁her ▁education ▁at ▁Land er ▁University ▁instead ▁of ▁continu ing ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁Hollywood . ▁In ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁Stevens on ▁found ▁work ▁hosting ▁television ▁programs ▁for ▁W IS ,