Model’s Rigors Test Even the Ivy League

Okay, TV fans, it’s time for an America’s Next Top Model pop quiz. Riddle me this: what do former ANTM contenders Yaya DaCosta, Whitney Cunningham, and Victoria Marshman all have in common? Hint—it’s something besides the fact that none of them ended up winning a CoverGirl contract.

If you guessed that each of these long-legged ladies went to or is still attending an Ivy League school—Brown, Dartmouth, and Yale, respectively—you’re correct. Now there’s one more name to add to that illustrious list: Cycle 10’s Claire Unabia, she of the razor-sharp cheekbones and squirm-inducing complaints about her breast milk “drying up,” who graduated from Columbia College in 2004. She also got kicked off of the show in the episode that aired on April 2, finishing in eighth place overall.

Unabia, a Hawaii native, transferred to Columbia from Mount Holyoke in her sophomore year. She came here to study film and philosophy, and also to pursue her dream of modeling. “I was driving down to Columbia—not to Columbia, to New York—every weekend or so,” she said, “so I kind of knew that I wanted to come to a school in New York, and that [Columbia] was my top choice.”

After commencement, Unabia “worked as a camera assistant and camerawoman on independent films” until she landed a job at a production studio. She also got married, moved to Brooklyn, and recently had a baby, which motivated her to try out for ANTM. “I’ve always been a huge fan of the show, and after having my baby—it inspires you to do things you’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “Even though it sounded crazy, after having a baby, it didn’t sound crazy anymore.”

Something that Unabia wasn’t expecting was the strange treatment that ANTM contestants were occasionally forced to endure at the hands of the producers. “Sometimes, we didn’t get to use the bathroom,” she said, “or to use the phone that often. I guess I tried to get the models to protest reading the Tyra Mail [clues issued to the models about upcoming photo shoots and challenges] so that we would get phone privileges. I think that might have upset them a little bit,” she added with a laugh.

Although many former reality stars have accused film editors of piecing together footage in order to portray contestants in a negative light, Unabia thinks that for the most part, what we see on TV “is an accurate portrayal” of what really goes on in the Top Model house. Of course, there are a few exceptions—“The way that Fatima [Siad],” a model from Somalia who is one of Cycle 10’s frontrunners, “was portrayed in the earlier episodes, as saying really snide comments—I didn’t realize that she was that bad, and of course, she did have times that she was nice, and they didn’t show any of those times,” Unabia said.

Then there was Dominique Reighard, the show’s token villain, who got into a loud fight with Unabia after the former’s alarm went off at 6:04 AM. Unabia claims not to hold a grudge against Reighard, but it sounds like the two still aren’t exactly best friends. “I don’t really take it personally or hold it against her, that she was outwitted by her alarm. It’s just kind of how she is,” Unabia said.

At least Unabia came out of the show having made a few good friends. Keeping in touch with other ousted contestants is good, she said, because “it’s kind of a way that we can deal with the stress of the show.” She plans to keep up with Lauren Utter, who got the boot this past Wednesday and “lives around the corner from” Unabia, “and definitely Marvita [Washington]. Marvita’s the kind of girl, like, if you don’t keep in touch with her, she’s going to come over and cut you or something.”

When asked what advice she has for Columbia students or aspiring models, Unabia seemed to mishear the question. Her answer—advice for Columbia students who are also aspiring models—is valuable nevertheless: “Oh my gosh, yeah. I remember trying to model and going to school. I mean, agencies really want your full time and attention. They’re not that into—they don’t care how you go to school, and not being able to answer your cell phone when you’re in class, so it’s just finding what are your priorities, and if you really want to pursue modeling, you know, maybe even taking some time off from school. Because school will always be there for you, but you’re not going to be young forever.”