Alma Cooper, 22, is an army officer with a rank of 2nd Lieutenant. A West Point cadet, she also hold a Master’s Degree in Data Science from Stanford University. She beat 50 other candidates representing American states and the District of Columbia. Finishing as first runner-up is Miss Kentucky USA Connor Perry while the second runner-up is Miss USA Oklahoma Danika Christopherson. Making it to the Top 5 are Miss Tennessee USA Christell Foote and Miss Ohio USA Macy Hudson.
Alma Cooper is the 4th Michigander to win the Miss USA crown following the footsteps of Carole Gist, Kenya Moore and Rima Fakih. The pageant is now under scrutiny from the media and the public after the 2023 titleholder Noelia Voigt resigned due to alleged toxicity in workplace and the pageant’s failure to fulfill its obligations. Noelia was replaced by Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii.
The Miss USA 2024 pageant was beamed live and was hosted by Garcelle Beauvais and Keltie Knight. It was a historic pageant at it is the first Miss USA to be held since various age and other restrictions were lifted. This was reflected with the participation of 41-year-old Kristina Johnson representing Arizona and Bailey Anne Kennedy of Maryland who became the first transgender to ever compete in the pageant.
