Miss Michigan Alma Cooper crowned Miss USA 2024
Cooper, a 22-year-old Okemos native, is the first Miss Michigan to win the title since 2010.
Miss Michigan Alma Cooper was named the winner of the 2024 Miss USA pageant on Sunday, Aug. 4 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Cooper, a 22-year-old Okemos native, beat 50 other contestants in the competition, which featured swimsuits, evening gowns and on-the-spot interviews. Cooper will compete in the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico later this year.
In the final round of the Miss USA competition, Cooper paid homage to her heritage as an Afro-Latina woman and United States Army officer.
“I’m living the American dream,” Cooper said. “If there’s anything that my life and my mother have taught me, it’s that your circumstances never define your destiny.”
The first Miss Michigan to hold the Miss USA title since 2010, Cooper speaks highly of her military background. She serves as a second lieutenant and military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, according to her Miss USA bio, making her the first active duty soldier to win the title. In 2023, she graduated in the top 5% in her class from the U.S. military academy, Westpoint, and is currently working toward her master’s degree in data science at Stanford University.
Sunday’s crowning follows a turbulent year for the Miss USA organization. Former Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava and former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt stepped down from their positions earlier this year, moves which quickly made national headlines. Srivastava and Voigt didn’t publicly disclose many details about their resignations, but their mothers told ABC News that the girls’ decision to give up their crowns was due to harassment by Miss USA leadership.
Srivastava and Voigt made separate social media posts this week congratulating Cooper as the new Miss USA. In an interview with People Magazine, Cooper said their support has been beautiful.
“Noelia and UmaSophia are two gems of individuals who have reached out to me personally and have been nothing but kind,” Cooper told the outlet. “To have their love and support behind me…it feels so surreal. They’re just both so kind.”
Michigan legend and retired NBA player, Magic Johnson, also celebrated Cooper’s achievement on social media, saying: “You’ve made all of us Michiganders proud and represented the Afro-Latina community admirably!”
