Meet Madison Marsh, the Top Gun and newly crowned Miss America winner

She landed the crown. Madison Marsh, 22, became the first active duty Air Force officer to be named Miss America when she soared into first place in the annual competition on Sunday. “I’m very excited to get to represent women who can break stereotypes,” Marsh said in an interview featured on the official Miss America Instagram page .

The blond bombshell is a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force who is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. After her crowning moment, Marsh said she wants women across the country to know: “You can achieve anything.” “The sky is not the limit, and the only person that’s stopping you is you,” she added.

Marsh was crowned Miss Colorado in May 2023 — three years after flying into the pageant world while studying physics with a focus on astronomy at the Air Force Academy. “It was very surreal. I believe I’m the first active duty officer from any branch to represent at the national level of the Miss America organization,” Marsh told SWNS after winning in the Centennial State.

During the competition, the Arkansas native often spoke about her mother’s 2018 death from pancreatic cancer. Her death motivated her to start the Whitney Marsh Foundation to raise money for pancreatic cancer research and pursue a career in cancer research and public policy. In the talent round of the Miss America pageant, which was held in Orlando, Marsh performed a spoken word poem about earning her pilot’s license at 16.

Marsh also emphasized her goal to use her platform as Miss America to talk with girls about serving in the military and to upend stereotypes about women in the military. “It’s an awesome experience to bring both sides of the favorite parts of my life together and hopefully make a difference for others to be able to realize that you don’t have to limit yourself,” Marsh previously said about competing in pageants and training with the Air Force.

“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.” Ellie Breaux of Texas emerged as the first runner up among the 51 contestants. Cydney Bridges of Indiana, Mallory Hudson of Kentucky, and Caroline Parente of Rhode Island followed behind..