"So beyond proud of her": Fans get emotional as Grace Stanke crowned Miss America 2023

Grace Stanke has been crowned the new Miss America, much to the delight of fans around the world. Coming from a relatively different background, her story and approach have captivated viewers.

Stanke is a nuclear engineering student from the University of Wisconsin, and her spectacular performance in the question-answer round has been one of the most phenomenal segments in the competition's history.

Since she is a nuclear engineering student and clean energy advocate who has won one of the most prestigious beauty pageants of all time, social media platforms such as Twitter have been buzzing with the news. One of her friends also commented on her win, tweeting:

"My good friend and overall wonderful human being @Grace_Stanke was just named Miss America. To say that I didn't cry would be a lie. I am so beyond proud of her, and can safely speak for all that know her in saying she is one of a kind and will be a phenomenal Miss America!"

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"A historic year for all nuclear energy advocates": Fans react to Grace Stanke's landmark win in Miss America 2023

Grace Stanke was a strong contender among the 11 finalists, but she also faced a tough competition. The finalists of Miss America 2023 included Miss Nevada Heather Renner, Miss Hawaii Lauren Teruya, Miss Oregon Sophia Takla, Miss Ohio Elizabette Nies, Miss Indiana Elizabeth Hallal, and Miss Illinois Monica Mia Jones.

However, the latter rounds could have been the key to her win, where Grace's varied approach helped her clinch the title and impress the judges with her wit. She also emphasized the importance of sustainability and used the platform to talk about serious issues. She said:

"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."

This is a big win for the entire science community, and as the internet celebrates her fantastic win on the show, several users have been commenting on Stanke's achievement. One of the tweets summed up the emotion, writing:

"Congratulations to @Grace_Stanke, who has won Miss America 2023!! She is a nuclear engineer student advocating for more young people to learn about nuclear tech & science. This has been a historic year for all nuclear energy advocates. Congratulations to y’all too!"

While the internet is a place of varied opinions, it is rare to see such a unified celebration that spans the globe.

Grace Stanke succeeded Emma Broyles, who became the first contestant from Alaska to win the title. Every year, it seems the beauty pageant competition manages to surprise its viewers by crowning influential participants. Broyles was also the first titleholder outside of the contiguous United States since Angela Perez Baraquio of Hawaii in Miss America 2001, writing a history of her own in the process.