From Army Officer To Beauty Queen: Alma Cooper's Remarkable Miss USA Journey

Michigan’s Alma Cooper, a US Army officer, was crowned Miss USA on Sunday, becoming the third person to hold the title this year following the unexpected resignation of 2023’s winner.

The 22-year-old, who holds a Master’s in Data Science from Stanford University, triumphed over 50 other contestants in a pageant that included swimwear and evening gown competitions. Kentucky’s Connor Perry and Oklahoma’s Danika Christopherson were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

“As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer of the United States Army, I am living the American dream,” Cooper shared during the Q&A session at Sunday’s finale. “If there’s anything that my life and my mother have taught me, it’s that your circumstances never define your destiny: You can make success accessible through demanding excellence.”

Cooper was crowned on stage by the previous titleholder, Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, who inherited the tiara in May after Utah’s Noelia Voigt stepped down amid controversy.

The glitzy televised event capped three tumultuous months for pageant organizers, sparked by Voigt’s surprise resignation and the subsequent resignation of then-reigning Miss Teen USA, New Jersey’s UmaSofia Srivastava. Although the show made no explicit references to the controversy, Gankiewicz described her unexpected three-month reign as “the most unique in history.”

Voigt announced her decision via Instagram in May, attributing her resignation to mental health reasons. However, social media users quickly noticed that the first letter of the first 11 sentences of her cryptic post spelled “I am silenced,” fueling rumors of a strict non-disclosure agreement.

Voigt’s resignation letter, later obtained by CNN, alleged delays in receiving prizes and a “toxic work environment” that amounted to bullying and harassment. She also claimed to have been sexually harassed during a public appearance due to the Miss USA organization’s failure to provide an “effective handler.”

Srivastava, who won the Miss Teen USA competition, cited a clash in “personal values” with the Miss USA organization as her reason for stepping down. Both women’s mothers appeared on Good Morning America, with Srivastava’s mother, Barbara, stating the beauty queens had been “ill-treated, abused, bullied, and cornered,” and that “the job of their dreams turned into a nightmare.”

Organizers and the pageants’ parent company, the Miss Universe Organization, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment at the time. Miss USA president Laylah Rose released a statement at the end of May, reported by the Los Angeles Times, refuting Voigt’s allegations.

New Rules and Groundbreaking Firsts

The evening began with an elimination round, narrowing the 51 contestants down to the top 20 based on judges’ scores from Saturday’s preliminary competition. The results of a swimwear competition further reduced the field to 10 before the eveningwear parade.

The final five were then asked the same question: “How can we bridge the gap between different cultures and foster understanding and respect?”

Hosted by Garcelle Beauvais from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and E! News presenter Keltie Knight, the televised finale marked the return of the contest to California for the first time since 2007. Judges included shoe designer Jojo Bragais and former Miss USA titleholders Carole Gist and Lu Parker.

Sunday’s pageant was the first since the Miss Universe Organization lifted the age restriction banning women over 28 from participating. Several finalists benefited from the new rule, including 41-year-old Kristina Johnson of Arizona and contestants from Montana, North Dakota, Maryland, and Indiana, all in their 30s.

In other firsts, Maryland’s Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first transgender contestant from her state to appear in the finals, and Shavana Clarke of Connecticut was the “first openly lesbian Miss USA state titleholder,” according to organizers.

Sunday’s finale came three days after Addie Carver of Mississippi was named Miss Teen USA, a title that had remained vacant since Srivastava’s resignation. Seventeen-year-old Carver, a dance teacher, cheerleader, and choreographer, has used her platform to discuss young people’s mental health, sharing her own struggles following her father’s death. “As the next Miss Teen USA, I want to make it my mission to ensure that every little girl who is just like me once felt knows she is never alone,” she said on stage Thursday evening.

Cooper will now compete in the Miss Universe 2024 contest, to be held in Mexico later this year.