Lindenwood University freshman Maggie Bannester has brought her lifelong passion for baton twirling to campus this fall. A member of the Lion Pride Marching Band, Bannester continues to build on years of experience performing and competing at the national and international levels.

Before joining Lindenwood, Bannester represented Team USA at the International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF) World Championships in Italy as a part of the St. Louis Performance Academy. Competing against athletes from around the world, she earned three silver medals and a gold medal.

Her experience on the international stage capped off a summer of intense daily training. “We spent this whole year [practicing],” Bannester said. “We had travel team practices one weekend a month. We would have over 12 hours in the gym between Saturday and Sunday. Then, at the end of the school year, we had summer practice, at least four hours a day Monday through Friday.”

Some of those sessions lasted more than six hours in the hot gym. Bannester described her connection with her teammates as an “unbreakable trauma bond,” saying the long hours of training made their success that much sweeter. "When people see me twirling, I have makeup and my costume. I'm happy and I’m flailing around, but you don't see those times in the gym,” added Bannester.

Beyond baton twirling, Bannester has also found success in the world of pageantry. Earlier this year, she was crowned Miss Hannibal, earning her spot to compete in the Miss Missouri pageant this summer. The competition includes interview, fitness, and talent components.

Bannester credits her pageant success with helping her develop professional skills. Preparing for both a one-on-one and an on-stage interview, she says, has helped her develop a sense of confidence that enhances her public and professional speaking skills. That same confidence, Bannester adds, encouraged her to enter Lindenwood’s Homecoming Court and will serve her well as she pursues a career in the business world after college.

Bannester’s accomplishments embody the spirit of a Lindenwood Lion. Her dedication to twirling and her drive to continue growing as a performer, through countless hours of preparation, capture the University’s core value of grit. Having achieved so much before the start of her freshman year, Bannester is already connecting those experiences to potential career skills, showing how her real experiences are paving the way for real success.