Internet cheers Madison Marsh as she becomes first active-duty US Army officer to win Miss America title

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh made history on Sunday night, January 14, when she was crowned Miss America 2024 in Orlando, becoming the first active-duty Army officer to win the coveted title.

The 22-year-old Marsh, who represented Colorado in the competition, is currently enrolled in a Master's program at the Harvard Kennedy School. She captivated the audience at the Miss America competition finals in Orlando with her poise, talent, and message of empowerment.

Marsh made it to the final round of Miss America 2024 after four rounds of competition - a fitness runway walk, the 'hot topics' discussion, a talent show, and an evening gown presentation.

When her name was announced as the new Miss America, Marsh appeared stunned, putting her hands to her face in disbelief before being crowned by outgoing Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke, as per PEOPLE.

Madison Marsh entered Miss America to showcase women can be both beautiful and courageous

In interviews after her win, Marsh emphasized that she entered the Miss America competition to showcase how women can be both beautiful and courageous leaders.

"If I can step into this world from a small town without any pageant background, then anyone can," Marsh said. "You can achieve anything. The sky is not the limit - the only person stopping you is yourself."

Marsh said her late mother, who passed away from pancreatic cancer, inspired her ethos of service and leadership. In the Miss America 'hot topics' discussion about the drug epidemic in America, Marsh shared her mother's courageous cancer journey to highlight the importance of healthcare access.

The new Miss America's talent portion featured a spoken word poem about her receiving a pilot's license at 16 years old, symbolizing Marsh's trailblazing spirit. The poem emphasized her passion for serving others and breaking barriers.

"In the military, it’s an open space to really lead in the way that you want to lead — in and out of uniform," Marsh explained. "I felt like pageants, and specifically winning Miss Colorado, was a way to truly exemplify that and to set the tone to help make other people feel more comfortable finding what means most to them."

Marsh was one of 51 contestants vying for the Miss America crown, representing contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. She previously won the title of Miss Colorado last May on a platform of empowering young women to achieve their career goals in male-dominated fields like the military and STEM.

Internet cheers for Madison Marsh upon learning of historic win at 2024 Miss America pageant

The internet resonated with exuberant cheers upon learning of Marsh's historic win at the 2024 Miss America pageant. One X user aptly summed up the sentiment, declaring, "Bravery with Beauty." Another celebrated Marsh's multifaceted success, stating, "Well Done and God Speed!! Badass and stunning at the same time!"

A third user couldn't contain their excitement, exclaiming, "Oh, that is Super! One heck of an American Girl. Congratulations." The sentiment of awe continued with another person expressing, "Wow, that’s badass! Congrats Lt. Marsh!"

Offering heartfelt congratulations, a fifth user wrote, "Congratulations. Way to go! Fabulous." The internet's applause reached its peak as a sixth user conveyed, "Congratulations Madison, we the people are proud of you."

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