Harvard Medical School graduate intern and U.S. Air Force 2nd lieutenant Madison Marsh was officially crowned Miss America, Sunday.
Marsh, 22, hails from Colorado, and accepted her win in the most stunning red dress on Sunday night, as seen in a photograph shared by the pageant’s official social media account. Marsh is the first ever active-duty officer to go for the prestigious award, and ended up being the first active-duty officer to win the title, according to Stars and Stripes.
And apparently there are similarities between pageants and protecting our nation. “When I put on my uniform, I serve, and I represent our country,” she told the Harvard Crimson. “When I put on the crown and sash, I’m serving, representing my community.”
Miss America is Madison Marsh from Colorado! #ThereSheIs
📸: Houston M Photography pic.twitter.com/fhj66Om5mf
— Miss America (@MissAmerica) January 15, 2024
Along with supporting her country, Marsh runs the Whitney Marsh Foundation, the Miss Colorado website notes. She founded the organization after her mother died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. She’s gone on to raise a quarter of a million dollars for research, and is using her graduate intern position with Harvard to understand how artificial intelligence can detect pancreatic cancer. (RELATED: America’s Mullet Champion Has Harsh Words For Morgan Wallen)
As if this wasn’t enough, Marsh is pursuing her Masters in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. She’ll walk away from her Sunday night win with $60,000 in tuition and the opportunity to tour the country as our official Miss America 2024.