Sonia Lipski, 20, is a Miss World Australia Runner Up for 2008 and a third year student at the University of Sydney studying a triple major in Sociology/Social Policy, Government/International Studies and Pharmacology. Sonia won the communication and commitment award at the Miss NSW Finals and the Beauty for a Purpose award at the National Finals as well as being crowned Runner Up. She is now looking forward to competing in the 2009 Miss World Australia competition.

Growing up on New South Wales' Central Coast, Sonia developed a passion for initiating change in her local community. Her desire to become an ambassador for those in need led to her involvement in the Miss World Australia competition.

Sonia currently works with over a dozen charities, including Coast Shelter, the Starlight Foundation, Mission Australia, Youth Off The Streets, Triumphant International and St Vincent De Paul. She has also set up her own charity related programs and is passionate about humanising the distressing statistics of poverty and homelessness and engaging the community in a way where they feel they must be involved with finding a solution. She also runs a small-scale fashion label which she uses to raise money for various charities through fashion parades and would like to one day bring her collections to Australian Fashion Week. Sonia also envisions herself carrying on her commitement to her local community through a career in politics or an ambassadorial role.

Sonia's thoughts on the Miss World motto, Beauty with A Purpose:

"The most wonderful thing a human being can do, is to help another, and this is exactly what Miss World's Beauty with a Purpose encourages.

"My volunteer work with the homeless has put a human face on a social problem that is often ignored or misunderstood," Sonia explains. "These are real Australians in crisis, and we all need to do our part in offering genuine compassion, understanding and a hand up."

Sonia believes strongly in the Miss World motto Beauty with A Purpose, and is committed to using her time and talents to continue to raise awareness for the cause of poverty and homelessness throughout her Miss World experience and beyond.