Additional Coverage:
- The new Miss America said she was able to graduate from college ‘100% debt-free’ because of pageants (businessinsider.com)
New York’s Cassie Donegan Crowned Miss America, Wins Big with Scholarships
Cassie Donegan, representing New York, has won the Miss America competition, taking home the coveted crown and a hefty scholarship prize. Donegan, an accomplished actor and singer, was crowned the 98th Miss America at a ceremony held at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando on September 7.
The win comes with a significant financial boost: a $50,000 scholarship, adding to the $3,000 she won in a preliminary talent competition and the $27,000 she’d previously earned through the Miss America organization. This includes a $15,000 scholarship awarded when she won Miss New York in July. Donegan told reporters she graduated college debt-free thanks to scholarship money she’s earned competing in pageants since the age of nine.
Donegan emphasizes the continuing relevance of the Miss America organization, highlighting its role as a leading provider of scholarships for women. “Miss America is literally changing the game for thousands of women across the country,” she stated, explaining how crucial the scholarships have been to her academic pursuits.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in musical theater from Belmont University in Nashville and is currently pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in leadership and counseling at Ames Christian University. Donegan plans to use her Miss America scholarship to pursue an MBA with a concentration in nonprofit management leadership.
The Miss America Organization has a long history of supporting women’s education, awarding its first scholarship in 1945. The organization offers scholarships to its top contestants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for those placing in the top five, as well as a separate scholarship for those pursuing careers in elementary education.
The organization’s teen pageant program has also awarded nearly $1.5 million in scholarships since 2005. Several other Miss America contestants have also spoken about the financial support they’ve received from the organization, emphasizing its impact on their educational and career paths.