I’m a Hooters girl saving for med school, I’ll still be working here when I’m a doctor

An Ohio waitress and future health care worker is the total package: beauty and brains. And now she’s going to prove it to a panel of judges.

Horns girl Sophia Zullo is preparing to apply to medical schools, but first she will participate in the annual Hooters International Election in Forth Worth, Texas, on August 22.

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Sophia, who works at Hooters and is about to start her senior year of college, explained that her job helps her pay for medical school, plus has some other unexpected perks.

“I think Hooters as a brand has really built my confidence, especially trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone,” she told The US Sun.

Her long-term goal is to become an ultrasound technician.

“I want to go specifically to the neonatal unit,” she said.

“I am very passionate about children and it comes naturally to me to help others, just like I do in a restaurant.”

She was inspired to enter the medical field after her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

But working at Hooters actually has more to do with that purpose than people might think.

“When you think about Hooters, I think most people don’t really think about the way we shape our community,” she said.

“Our calendar sales, from every calendar, automatically raise a dollar for breast cancer [organizations].”

Sophia hopes to impress the judges with her long list of accomplishments, including graduating with highest honors from high school and a spot on the university’s Dean’s List.

Earn money smart

Sophia pays for her education with the money she earns at Hooters, but it’s not just about her salary and tips.

In 2023, she competed in the Hooters’ International pageant and finished third, winning a fat check for $8,000.

“[My grandma] cried, definitely. We all cried a little bit, but my family came and carried me on a T-shirt. They are very supportive of me and everything I do,” she said.

Hooters also has a tuition reimbursement program, which she takes full advantage of.

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“If you do well in school, you get your tuition reimbursed. That’s a tremendous help and you don’t get that in any other workplace,” she said.

She admitted she has some debt from her first year of college because she wanted to live on her own, but she also has savings.

“The repayment program allowed me to put money aside and also build a savings account for the future,” she says.

SAVE THE DATE

Sophia never expected to have the opportunities she did when she worked in the service industry.

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In addition to being the only girl from her section to participate in the competition for two years in a row, she also got the chance to appear in Hooters’ annual calendar.

Sophia was named Hooters’ Miss March 2023 after exceeding all expectations in a highly selective process.

“You have so much fun. You meet girls from other stores and you show your talents in front of the camera,” she said.

Now that I’m starting my professional career, I’ll definitely be saving a day or two for Hooters.

Sophia Zullo

“But it’s also no guarantee that you’ll be in the calendar that year.

“If you go to the election, you have another opportunity. That is very exciting, but you only know that when the calendar is known.”

$30,000 PLANS

This year, now that she has a little more experience, Sophia says the pressure is on, especially since she has just under ten minutes to impress the judges.

“I’m surrounded by 30 other beautiful women. I had to say to myself, ‘What am I going to do to stand out from the crowd?’” she said.

“[I think] “The jury members get to know me better on a personal level and in my field of expertise. That takes me further.”

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While the stakes are high for Sophia — $30,000 is at stake — she unsurprisingly revealed practical plans for the prize money if she were to win.

“Some of it will definitely go towards my student loans, but honestly I’ll probably just save it as well,” she said.

Sophia indicated that she wants to stay with the restaurant chain after the competition.

“I have absolutely no plans to leave Hooters anytime soon,” she said.

“I think in my professional career I will definitely take a day or two off for Hooters,” she said.

“We have so much fun at work; it doesn’t even feel like work. There are so many benefits to it, so I have absolutely no plans to leave after I graduate.”

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