Miss USA 2024 has been decided!
Miss Michigan Alma Cooper, an active duty officer in the U.S. Army and a data scientist studying at Stanford University, won the title.
Backstage, she told Fox News Digital that winning was “surreal,” saying, “I remember watching that moment over and over again when I was a little girl and every year one lucky woman would win. Just knowing that I was one of those people standing there was already a dream come true. But to win, it’s just unbelievable.”
During the Q&A session, Cooper reflected, “I just thought about my family and the values I was taught growing up and how much it meant to me, and I’m so grateful for all the time it took to get to this point. I can’t express enough gratitude for this moment, the people that encouraged me when I was in the valley, and for being able to stand on this mountain with so many other incredible women. This is amazing.”
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Miss Michigan USA, Alma Cooper, was crowned Miss USA 2024 during the 73rd Miss USA Pageant held on August 4, 2024 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Cooper won not only by showcasing her physical beauty, but also by delivering an excellent answer to the question, “How can we bridge the gap between different cultures and foster understanding and respect?”
“As the daughter of immigrant workers, a proud Afro-Latina woman and a United States Army officer, I am living the American Dream. If there’s anything my life and my mother have taught me, it’s that your circumstances never determine your destiny, and that you can earn your success by striving for excellence. This has been my personal motto…Success is attainable and chasing your dreams can help you break down barriers and create a springboard to where you’re headed,” Cooper told the audience and judges.
WATCH: Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper Shares the Answers That Helped Her Win
Ahead of the pageant, co-host Garcelle Beaubias told Fox News Digital, “I’m really excited to be here tonight and to be a part of Miss USA 2024. These are really incredible girls. They’re dynamic, they’re smart, they’re obviously beautiful, but they’re so much more than that. I think a lot of these girls are showing what they want to do in the future and what legacy they want to leave behind. I’m here to cheer them on. We’re going to have fun. It might be a little dramatic at times, but I think it’s going to be really amazing.”
Miss USA 1994, journalist Lou Parker, served as one of the judges and revealed what he looks for in the winner.
“I just thought about my family and the values I was taught growing up and how important they were to me.”
“I’m looking for someone who can actually compete on a global level against women from all over the world,” Parker said, “but I’m looking for someone who is confident, who is of course beautiful, and someone who has that dynamic spark. It always seems like on finals night, there’s five people out of five who come out strong and that’s the one who wins.”
Cooper’s coronation came after Savannah Gankiewicz’s relatively short tenure as Miss USA 2023.
Miss Michigan USA, Alma Cooper, was crowned Miss USA 2024 onstage with Miss USA 2023, Savannah Gankiewicz, during the 73rd Annual Miss USA Pageant held at the Peacock Theater on August 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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Gankiewicz took over the title in May after Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt stepped down. Her rival in the teen category, Umasofia Srivastava, also stepped down from the title.
Srivastava was initially more direct about why he decided to give up the crown. In a statement shared on Instagram, Srivastava wrote: “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as my personal values are no longer fully aligned with the direction of the organization.”
Voight initially cited mental health as the reason for his resignation in a lengthy Instagram statement in May.
Her reasons were later detailed in a letter obtained by ABC News and other media outlets, in which she accused the organization of cultivating a toxic workplace culture and criticized Layla Rose, president and CEO of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA organizations.
Miss Michigan USA-Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper and Miss USA President Layla Rose attend the 73rd Annual Miss USA Pageant at the Peacock Theater on August 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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Rose later released a statement in response to Voight’s resignation letter in which he strongly denied the allegations.
Speaking on stage before the convention, Rhodes told Fox News Digital, “We are keeping our delegates safe all the time across the country. Every single one of our board members is keeping our delegates safe and will continue to do so. This is a job. It’s a job that delegates should want to do and it’s a job that delegates should choose to be role models for. So it’s important for us to select the right role models who are ready and willing to take on this job.”
She continued, “Mental health plays a huge role in every aspect of our lives. It really does. We face challenges in work, education, school, relationships, family, friends, etc. And I think learning from those challenges makes us stronger people to get through the next one. Because the challenges don’t stop. They’ll always be there. But building on the platform that these women built and having the resources that we have today will really help them in whatever they do, especially their passion projects.”
Morgan Romano, Miss USA 2022, who served as a correspondent during the pageant, said her experience was a positive one, but she understands the pressure can be overwhelming.
Morgan Romano, Garcelle Beauvais, Alma Cooper, Miss USA 2024 Michigan USA winner, Keltie Knight and Patrick Starr attend the 73rd Miss USA Pageant at the Peacock Theater on August 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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“Being Miss USA is a really tough year mentally,” Romano told Fox News Digital. “It’s been an amazing year, but being in the public eye like this definitely takes its toll on your mental health. You’re constantly exposed to social media comments and people who feel they can judge you, and it’s not easy. So… that’s why I’m really proud of my other Miss USA sisters for setting boundaries for themselves and really putting their mental health first.”
She added: “Of course, there are always comments on social media from people, but I never get upset by them because I remember that they are coming from inside people’s minds and they are just projecting it onto me. And it doesn’t reflect who I am. I know who I am and I’m really proud of who I am, so it never upsets me.”
Miss Teen USA 2024, Addie Carver, who was crowned earlier last week, also said the experience was a positive one.
“Everyone has been really nice to me and I know they’re going to make sure I’m taken care of this year, but honestly, just taking on this role is a big role, not just for me but for other girls who look up to me, so I want to use it to really make an impact and hopefully inspire other girls to get involved in the program.”
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Beauvais also offered the contestants some advice about being in the public eye.
“You know, we live in a world where people can sit at home and write how they feel about you, but you can’t listen to the noise,” the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star said. “You have to remember who you are, and you have to know that sometimes criticism is just criticism, but know who you are and stick with it.”
