Alma Cooper, who once competed in her first pageant wearing a dress from Facebook Marketplace that her mother had painstakingly adorned with beads, has just been crowned Miss USA 2024.
The victory by the Afro-Latina marks a remarkable journey from modest beginnings to national acclaim, fulfilling a dream that started years ago.
“I can’t even put into words this surreal feeling,” Cooper shared with Business Insider after winning the crown in Los Angeles. “I have so much gratitude toward the shoulders that I stand upon and all the people who have supported me to get to this point.”
A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled
Cooper, a second lieutenant and military intelligence officer in the US Army, has always had a passion for pageantry. Growing up, pageants were like the Super Bowl in her household.
Her mother, who once competed in state pageants herself, instilled in Cooper a love for the stage. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Cooper took a job at Auntie Anne’s to pay for her pageant fees, determined to compete in Miss Michigan Teen USA.
Though she didn’t win on her first attempt, Cooper’s perseverance paid off when she placed first runner-up in 2017. That experience, along with the support of her mother, fueled her dream of one day walking the Miss USA stage.
“This really all started from watching at home and being inspired by other women who have walked that same stage,” Cooper reflected. “It’s a moment that I truly will never forget.”
Military Discipline and Pageantry
Cooper carried her pageant dreams with her through her time at the US Military Academy at West Point.
There, she became the only female mathematical science major in her class and graduated in the top 5%. She is now a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, pursuing a master’s in data science.
“Being at West Point built my character,” Cooper said. “It’s the premier leadership institution in the world, where every single person is committed to a culture of excellence, to being part of something bigger than themselves.”
Her military experience, she believes, has been instrumental in her success in pageantry. Cooper sees a strong connection between the discipline required in both fields.
“Being able to be intrinsically motivated, to have personal courage, is one of the Army values,” she noted. “And to get onstage in front of millions of people, a nationally televised audience, and wear a swimsuit — that, in and of itself, is one way to display personal courage and believe in oneself.”
Cooper’s journey is deeply rooted in her family’s experiences. Her undergraduate thesis, published in Military Medicine, explores the relationship between body mass index and the US Army’s recruitment crisis, a topic inspired by her mother’s struggles with poverty and food insecurity after emigrating to the US as a child.
“My platform and what I’m passionate about, my education and study, is rooted in my family,” Cooper said.
As Miss USA, Cooper hopes to be a “force for good,” using her platform to uplift voices that are often unheard.
“This is not about me,” she said. “This is about uplifting the voices of individuals whose stories may not be heard, whose stories may not be shown. I know this is bigger than myself.”
Her story is one of resilience and determination, proving that with hard work and belief in oneself, anything is possible.
“If you are someone who wants to do it all, you truly can,” she added. “There are no limits on yourself except the ones that you accept.”
