Miss Colorado Wins the Miss America Pageant, and Becomes a Very Important ‘First’

There’s a new Miss America and she’s already setting records. Madison Marsh has become the first active duty Air Force officer to win the title. The pilot was representing Colorado when she beat out 50 other contestants to be crowned 2024 Miss America on Sunday night.

The 22-year old second lieutenant is also getting her master’s degree at the Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program. Just days after winning Miss Colorado last year, Marsh graduated from the Air Force Academy. “It’s an awesome experience to bring both sides of the favorite parts of my life together,” she says, “and hopefully make a difference for others to be able to realize that you don’t have to limit yourself.”

Marsh also shared that if she could come from “a small town, not being part of the pageant,” and then enter the pageant world, anyone else could do it, too. The U.S. Air Force celebrated her win on social media, calling her “our very own.”

Congratulations to our very own #Airman, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, aka Miss Colorado — who was just crowned @MissAmerica 2024! Marsh is the first active duty servicemember to ever win the title.#AimHigh pic.twitter.com/3RuDu5CulW

— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) January 15, 2024