Political Communication major Sara Costa started the Fall semester on the heels of a whirlwind trip across the pond, representing Texas at the Rose of Tralee International Festival.

The festival includes an annual pageant held in Tralee, Ireland that features contestants, called Roses, from around the world, including a Rose from Texas.

“The Texas Rose of Tralee organization is about honoring traditions but also about empowering young women to grow personally and professionally,” Lydian Lawler Lopez, director of the Texas Rose Center, said.

Lopez says that the the Texas Rose Organization fosters a sense of family and community and allows young women to build meaningful connections across the world and right here in Texas. Being the Texas Rose was something Costa long dreamed about. 

“I think I was 12 when I met the Texas Rose of that time, but you have to be 18 to apply,” Costa said. “I just remember thinking, ‘I want to be the Texas Rose’ one day.”

By the time she was eligible though, her dream was abruptly put on hold.

“In 2022 I had to put everything on the backburner because of my cancer diagnosis.”

While Costa’s friends were being accepted to colleges and moving away from home after high school, she found a lump on her neck that, following multiple doctor visits and unanswered questions, turned out to be thyroid cancer. At first, she felt isolated because everyone else her age was progressing in their lives while she was forced to take a gap year.

After a difficult surgery that left her with a large scar, she is now recovered and even showed off her scar during her televised Rose of Tralee interview. She says that such a devastating time in her life was a defining moment for who she is today.

“I told myself that I have plenty of time and that I can do these things at any point in the future,” Costa said. “Everything I went through in those two years prepared me for who I am now. And this was the year I decided to revisit the Texas Rose. Now I get to achieve that dream.”

As Texas Rose, Costa toured Ireland with the other Roses for several days this August, stopping in multiple towns and cities. The Roses traveled the country doing media appearances and meeting people in various communities.

“It’s a lot of fanfare but not in a beauty pageant way,” Costa said. “I actually had an older woman come up to me on one of the tour stops and she said, ‘Hey, I saw your story about thyroid cancer, and I think we have something in common.’”

The stranger then pointed to her neck.

“She had a very similar scar to mine from her thyroidectomy,” Costa said. “I just stopped in that moment and tried to give her all my attention because she had that in common with me and had a similar story. And that’s what it’s all about, that’s why I am here.”

At another tour stop in Limerick, the Roses had a chance to meet with a local Down syndrome charity.

“They were waiting for us with roses and were so excited to welcome us,” Costa said. “That was such a sweet moment, seeing how many people of all backgrounds and abilities are excited to participate in the Rose of Tralee festival.”

Costa represented Texas and the University of Texas with pride while in Ireland, wearing a black Stetson cowboy hat and throwing up the Hook ‘Em at many public appearances. Even her Ireland-born escort throughout the tour, Conor, donned his very own cowboy hat.

“Eevery year the Texas Rose Center will buy a cowboy hat for the Texas Rose, and for her escort,” Costa said. “I think they picked my escort based on who looked the most natural in the hat because everywhere we went people would tell him, ‘Welcome to Ireland!’ Then he would have to explain that he was born and raised down the street.”

Though she loved her time abroad, she’s glad to be back on campus this fall. Costa says she’s always had a fascination with languages and other cultures, which is what ultimately lead her to major in Political Communication and minor in Persian.

“I’ve always had a vague interest in topics like diplomacy and cross-cultural communication but now I’m really trying to narrow that focus,” she said. “I’ve also always had an appreciation for languages of the world.”

Lopez says that these interests are, in part, why Sara embodies the very heart of what it means to be a Rose.

“She is a proud reflection of the spirit, warmth, and hospitality that Texas is known for,” Lopez said. “Her ability to connect with people, her strong sense of community and her enthusiasm for cultural exchange make her a wonderful ambassador for Texas on the international stage.”

Costa will continue to wear the Texas Rose title through March of 2026. She says that one of her next tasks as Texas Rose is to choose a charity to give back to. Ideally, she would like to either keep her charity work on the UT campus or perhaps within an organization that supports those with thyroid cancer.

Costa says she is open to suggestions though, including from anyone who reads her story.

“If you know of anything that's related to the UT campus that would benefit from funding, even if people want to leave a comment including a charity that they really hold close to their heart, I genuinely want to know!”