Unlike most Dartmouth students who travel abroad or work at lucrative internships during their off terms, Whitney Cunningham '07 spent her fall in Los Angeles as one of the 13 contestants on Cycle Eight of America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks's hit reality television show that pits wannabe models against each other for a $100,000 CoverGirl contract.
Cunningham first auditioned for the show last February hoping to be a contestant on Cycle Seven, but was called back this year for Cycle Eight.
"I decided to audition on a total whim," Cunningham said. "I quit the basketball team at Dartmouth and was looking for my next move. Everyone always asked me if I was a model, so I decided that I would try it."
When she did not make the final cut for the seventh season of the show, Cunningham put together a portfolio and decided to start modeling on her own. In October Cunningham received a call from workers on the show, who had saved her information. She bypassed most of the audition process -- including a 15-page application -- and after meeting personally with the casting director, was selected to be a contestant on Cycle Eight.
Cunningham spent two months in California filming the show. The majority of her days lasted from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., and she stressed the difficulty of dealing with demanding photographers and having to consistently look her best.
"I think that nowadays everyone wants to be a model, but everyone can't be a model," Cunningham stated. "It's really hard work -- sometimes it takes you to your breaking point."
As one of the two plus-sized models on the show, a Dartmouth student and a former Division I athlete, Cunningham encountered both scrutiny and respect from fellow contestants.
"I know that a lot of the girls on the show were intimidated by me because I was the black girl who went to an Ivy League school, but they had a lot of respect for me," she said. "There were racial issues, and people would always turn to me for my opinion. It was cool being the smart girl."
Cunningham added that she stumbled a lot of criticism about her looks and modeling capabilities when looking at blogs about the show.
"There's a lot of scrutiny for plus-sized girls. I feel as though it's always trying to prove that you're worthy to the other girls in the house, to Tyra and the panel and to the world. I'm reinventing the industry, and that was my aim when I went out there."
Although grateful for her experience, Cunningham was ready to return to Dartmouth after two months in front of the cameras.
"I felt as though I was missing out on things back here. I was glad to get back to reality," she said.
Because she left campus during her senior fall, Cunningham plans to make up the classes that she missed next year either at Dartmouth or in New York City or Los Angeles. After graduation, she hopes to use modeling as a jumping point for the rest of her career.
"I'm definitely going to use modeling to get my foot in the door for other things, but I realized that my voice is my selling point," Cunningham explained. "I want to use my voice and get in the public eye that way."
During the interview, Cunningham remained elusive about the most rewarding part of her experience, replying, "You'll see," in response to the question.
The first episode of Cycle Eight of America's Next Top Model airs on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. on the CW Television Network.
