Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke crowned as Miss America 2023
The results are in, and a new Miss America has been crowned.
Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke was named Miss America 2023 on Thursday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Stanke, 20, is a senior at the University of Wisconsin — Madison where she’s studying nuclear engineering. She is also a classical violinist.
She played the violin in the pageant’s talent competition and wowed the judges with her answers during the red-carpet portion and final round.
Miss New York Taryn Delanie Smith was crowned first runner-up. Miss Texas Averie Bishop was crowned second runner-up.
Stanke won a $100,000 scholarship and will embark on a yearlong tour raising awareness about nuclear power and zero-carbon energy sources, according to Vogue.
Stanke said she was “excited” for the opportunities to discuss these issues and to represent “the women who can.”
“As Miss America, I am representing this organization. If they ask further questions, I am able to preface saying, ‘This isn’t the organization’s point of view, this is my personal point of view as Grace Stanke,’ and I can go on to state it — especially when it comes to things like nuclear energy and so many other hot political topics,” she said.