[1] Shields earned a degree in fine arts and a minor in business at the University of Arkansas in 2018.

"[7] Shields won the talent portion and a $2,000 scholarship at the conclusion of the second round of preliminary competitions on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, for her jazz dance performance to the song, “They Just Keep Moving the Line” from the TV show Smash.

[1][9] In the final round of the competition, Shields was asked about presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, by judge, Gabby Douglas.

In her allotted 20 second response, she answered, "If you're trying to be leader of the free world, everything you say and do matters, and all of your actions are held to a higher standard.

[12] About three months after her passing on the crown at the Miss America 2018 pageant, Shields' long-time boyfriend, Nate Wolfe, proposed on December 15, 2017.