after her miss america win, axum taught classes at texas tech university and worked in television such as starring on "the noon show" and "good morning arkansas". aside from miss america, axum was an active civic leader as she served on the national committee for the performing arts of the kennedy center in washington, d.c. after being nominated by president bill clinton, the fort worth symphony, the van cliburn foundation and texas christian university college of fine arts board of visitors.