Madison Marsh

Marsh was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Mike and Whitney Marsh, and has four siblings. Her father is a physician and her mother was a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Marsh graduated from Southside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 2019. While growing up, she enjoyed space camps and flying lessons, receiving her pilot's license at age 17. After graduating high school, she attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and graduated with a degree in astrophysics in 2023. She afterwards interned with Harvard's medical department. ==Pageantry==

In 2023, Marsh was crowned Miss Academy 2023, a pageant for women attending the United States Air Force Academy. This was her third attempt at competing for the Miss Colorado title. In the pageant, Marsh advanced into the Top 11 and later the Top 5, ultimately being crowned the winner, besting first runner-up Ellie Breaux of Texas. As Miss America 2024, Marsh became the fourth woman representing Colorado to win the pageant, and the first member of the United States Armed Forces to be crowned the winner. As part of her prize package, Marsh received a $50,000 scholarship to further her education. Marsh has received over $70,000 total in scholarships from competing within the Miss America organization. During her reign as Miss America, Marsh is serving in an Air Force public affairs and recruiting position. Marsh was the honorary pace car driver at the 2024 Daytona 500 NASCAR race. In February 2024, Marsh received the 'Spirit of the Springs' Award from the city of Colorado Springs. She visited students at schools in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Daytona Beach, Florida. Marsh also visited Fort Knox, and Ebbing Air National Guard Base. She presented a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Unknowns) at Arlington National Cemetery, and visited the Memorial Display Room on March 3, 2024. Madison was a special guest of the Royal International Air Tattoo in England in July 2024, and spoke about her USAF career mixed with being Miss America in front of 100,000 visitors from all over the world. == Career after Miss America ==

After her Miss America reign, Marsh continues as an Air Force officer and as a graduate student at Harvard University (as of 2025). In April 2025, she gave a keynote at Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics. ==Personal life==

Marsh has a black belt in taekwondo. In January 2024, Marsh announced her engagement to Walker Morris; this was in sharp contrast to the Miss America pageant's previous strict "no-boyfriend" rules. Marsh's cousin is Madeline Bohlman, a beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Arkansas Teen USA in 2021 and Miss Arkansas USA in 2024. ==References==