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Return to Fort Smith
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
Marsh returned to his hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas, over the weekend and was welcomed in a homecoming parade. She also visited local schools, including her alma mater’s middle and high schools, and talked about her journey from those very halls to the Miss America stage.
“I mean, I’ve been saying all day that winning Miss America is not about me,” Marsh said, according to a local news station. KHBS. “It was about the people in my community, the people who support me, and the people we can impact.”
“So if I can hopefully open the minds of other young women and young men to follow their dreams and do something different, that’s good work.” [done]”And I’m very lucky to be in the position that I am,” she continued.
Air Force Officer, Contest Winner, and Current Harvard University Student
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
Marsh graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in one year with a degree in physics, was crowned Miss Colorado and then Miss America, and earned a full scholarship to Harvard University.
Marsh earned his commercial pilot’s license at age 16, which led him to apply to USAFA. After she received a commission as a second lieutenant, she was selected as a candidate for flight school to become a military pilot.
But last September, Marsh decided to postpone flight school to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.
Advocate for pancreatic cancer research
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
She also works as a graduate student intern at Harvard Medical School, working with researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to use artificial intelligence to detect early pancreatic cancer.
Her mother died of pancreatic cancer in 2018, just nine months after her diagnosis. So Ms. Marsh became an advocate for patient care and research through the Whitney Marsh Foundation, a nonprofit her family founded after her mother’s death.
“We have made leaps and bounds compared to where we were when my mother was diagnosed five years ago. This speaks volumes about the progress we are making in the pancreatic cancer community as a whole. I think that’s telling,” Marsh said. health line In an interview.
The future of public policy
U.S. Army Photo: Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery/Released
Marsh said he hopes to apply the insights he gained from his research at Harvard to shaping public policy on Capitol Hill to better support patients.
“Now I understand the scientific aspects, [how to ask] “What do you think needs to be done for patients, and how can we get it done through legislation?” Marsh said at a United Services Organization event on Capitol Hill in February. He said he had asked medical experts. I spent a semester there and learned that it is really easy to create bad policy. ”
“I think the best way to make good policy is to understand it from the source, which is the relationship with the patient, to understand it scientifically, and to implement it appropriately,” she said. added. “Now that all of the community is contributing that knowledge, I’m really excited to be able to use that information to come forward here on The Hill and maybe make something happen. Masu.”
Balancing active duty and pageant
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
Marsh will take the remainder of this year off from her degree and studies to focus on the Air Force and her Miss America endeavors. Alongside his pageant duties, the Air Force assigned Marsh to a public relations and recruiting position to continue his active duty.
“The Air Force has been really, really great to me,” Marsh said. “Essentially, whenever I go to a Miss America event, it’s just to get the message out to people about what it means to serve as a Second Lieutenant Marsh and that there are many different ways you can join the Air Force. , I’m also giving back to the Air Force, whether it’s the Air Force or another branch or another job.” ”
No two days are the same at work
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
The 22-year-old certainly has her hands full, traveling to a new city every few days for public appearances and attending both Air Force and Miss America events.
“One of the events might include wearing my costume. [Air Force] “I put on my uniform to speak to a classroom of students about what it means to serve our country,” she was quoted as saying. Dayton Daily News“And in 10 minutes I might be dressed like this,” referring to her black jumper, high heels, tiara, and Miss America sash, “to a lecture or the Super Bowl.” To attend.”
A day in the life of an Air Force cadet
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
In February, Marsh and 27 other state representatives visited her alma mater, the U.S. Air Force Academy, to tour the facilities. Participants experienced a day in the life of an Air Force cadet, including operating a flight simulator, packing a parachute, and sitting in a TG-16A glider.
“My Miss America class was devastated by the entire experience,” Marsh said in an article published by USAFA’s Office of Strategic Communications. “They really got to experience the whole cadet experience: dorm tours, flight simulators, hopping on planes, dining with cadets. I couldn’t think of a better day to show them their home. did not.”
Mike Peterson, director of outreach for USAFA’s Office of Strategic Communications, said he hopes the visit will be an opportunity for the Miss America delegation to promote the academy in their home countries.
“We expect that one of the things the delegates will talk about is how they participated in the homecoming ceremony at Miss America’s college, the U.S. Air Force Academy,” Peter said. Mr. Song said. “They plan to represent their state for the rest of their lives, and we hope they continue to spread the word about the academy and their positive experiences here.”
“I’m Ensign Marsh, but I’m also Miss America.”
U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber.
By serving with both the crown and the uniform, Marsh said she hopes to empower young women to take on leadership roles in any field, regardless of gender misconceptions.
“We want women to understand that they can define their role in the military, whether they want to follow a more feminine path or not, and that they are empowered to make that decision. I hope you understand,” Marsh said. Department of Defense News During February. “I want young girls to know that you can be a leader in the military, you can be a leader in the boardroom, the courthouse, the medical board, whatever it is, and you can be taken seriously. Masu.
“Whether I’m wearing the crown and sash or the uniform, I’m serving as Second Lieutenant Marsh and I’m serving as Miss America at the same time, but they don’t take away from each other.”
Author
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GC Journalist
As the in-house writer for GallantCEO.com I prefer to remain anonymous as I do not seek anything from my writing only the self gratification of writing for a good cause such as this.