“As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer in the United States Army, I am living the American dream,” Cooper, 22, said during the Q&A portion of the pageant.

The 22-year-old US army officer and Stanford University graduate beat out 50 other contestants to claim the coveted title.

“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 role in May after the shock resignation of 2023’s winner, Noelia Voigt of Utah. Voigt’’ unexpected departure had sparked a three-month period of upheaval for pageant organizers.

Adding to the controversy, the newly crowned Miss Teen USA, New Jersey’s UmaSofia Srivastava, had also stepped down just days after Voigt. Gankiewicz described her unexpected three-month reign as “the most unique in history.”

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Despite the turbulence, the televised pageant event proceeded as usual, featuring the traditional swimwear and evening gown competitions. Kentucky’s Connor Perry and Oklahoma’s Danika Christopherson were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

The crowning of Cooper, a data science master’s degree holder, as the new Miss USA marks a return to relative stability for the storied pageant.