Everything to Know About 'The Bachelorette' Star Charity Lawson

Get to know the leading lady of The Bachelorette season 20, who was a former contestant on Zach Shallcross' season of The Bachelor

Meet the star of The Bachelorette, season 20.

Although Charity Lawson's run as a contestant on Zach Shallcross' season of The Bachelor didn't end with a final rose, she found love as the leading lady of ABC's dating reality show. On the final episode of The Bachelorette, she got engaged to Dotun Olubeko.

Host Jesse Palmer asked the Georgia native during the Women Tell All special in March 2023 if she'd like to step into the titular role on season 20 of The Bachelorette. Upon her initial shock and disbelief, Lawson emotionally accepted the sought-after offer.

"Absolutely!" Lawson said breaking into tears. "100 percent! I've waited forever to find the love of my life," she added. "It blows my mind that I could meet my person and be engaged and literally have my happily ever after."

Related: The Bachelor's Zach Shallcross Feels 'Confident' in His Final Pick, Although 'It Wasn't Pretty All the Time'

Lawson's time on The Bachelor came to an end during the franchise's anticipated hometown episode. The dating hopeful introduced her beau to her family and ultimately told Shallcross that she was "honestly falling in love" with him.

However, her feelings were not reciprocated by Shallcross. "You deserve all the love," he told Lawson. "I couldn't give it to you," he explained as he sent her home after the rose ceremony. He later recalled that moment, describing the choice as "the hardest decision I've had to make."

Here's everything to know about Lawson, the star of The Bachelorette, season 20!

She was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia

Lawson is a Georgia native who was born to David and Vickie, one of their three children. She grew up in the city of Columbus, where she attended high school.

Her older brother, Nehemiah, works in dentistry. Fans were first introduced to Lawson's big bro during the hometown visits on The Bachelor. He was shown to be protective of his little sister, cautioning her that "there's other women involved."

She also has an older sister, Amiyaka, who keeps a low profile.

Related: Zach Shallcross Faces 'the Hardest Decision I've Had to Make' After 'Bachelor' Hometown Dates

She graduated from Auburn University

Lawson earned a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Auburn University in May 2022. She described her time in college as one of the best experiences of her life, crediting her professors, friends and memories.

"The joy that comes with obtaining a degree the second time around is so much sweeter when you gain confirmation that it is exactly one of the things God has called you to do," she wrote on Instagram. "The last two years has challenged me every single day in the areas of personal growth, but also in my professional identity as a therapist."

She works as a child and family therapist

Lawson works as a therapist at a child advocacy center. Her fields of interest include trauma, child developmental disorders, anxiety, veterans, couples, and families, according to her LinkedIn.

"This field of work is so beautiful, and I'm passionate about always advocating for mental health in today's society," she wrote on Instagram upon graduating. "One of the most powerful tools we as humans have is our minds, it's important we treat it as such, and take care of it."

She likes to travel

Although she was born and raised in Georgia, Lawson seeks adventure. According to her numerous Instagram posts, she's traveled to various destinations all over the map and has shared beautiful sites with her followers.

Some of the places she's explored include Château de Versailles in France and states such as Illinois, Washington D.C. and North Carolina.

She knows what she wants in a life partner

According to ABC's bio, Lawson was "searching for a life partner who loves dogs, thrifting and a good tailgate; but, above all else, is honest, empathetic and values her for who she is." Like her parents, who have been married for over 47 years, Lawson "has been instilled with the confidence of knowing what she deserves and is eager to find a lasting love matching their example."

She's engaged to Dotun Olubeko

Lawson accepted Dotun Olubeko's proposal on the final episode of The Bachelorette, season 20. Following the engagement, the reality star told PEOPLE that she and Olubeko hope to get married in 2025 or 2026.

“We're not really trying to have a super incredibly 17-year length engagement,” she said. “We obviously came here to find love, and we have successfully done that. So [we’re] super happy to get our lives started.”

The couple plan to have two weddings — one to honor Olubeko's Nigerian heritage and one traditional American ceremony.

She'll compete on season 32 of Dancing With the Stars

In August 2023, during After the Final Rose, Lawson's fiancé surprised her with the news that she'd been cast on Dancing With the Stars.

"So, I know you like to cut up, you like to dance and you like to get down," Olubeko said. "And you know that we've talked about this, about how amazing this opportunity would be, and I am so happy to be the one to tell you that you’re going to be on Dancing with the Stars."

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Read the original article on People.