Tonight, the 2018 winner of Miss America was chosen by a judges panel, which was made up of country artist Thomas Rhett, singer Jordin Sparks, TV personality Maria Menounos, model Molly Sims, Olympian Tara Lipinski, former Miss America Nina Davuluri and People’s Jess Cagle. And, the winner who was picked was Miss North Dakota Cara Mund.
Check out our 5 Fast Facts on Mund below to get to know the new Miss America.
1. Mund’s Mother Has Battled Cancer Three Times
During the Miss America Pageant, Mund said that her mother is her role model because she has persevered and battled cancer a total of three times.
2. Her Talent Is Jazz
For her talent in pageant competitions, Mund performs dance routines and tonight she performed a jazz dance. Mund says she has been dancing since 1996 and she is actually a national dance champion who trained for four summers with the Radio City Rockettes.
During the 2018 Miss America Pageant, Mund performed a self-choreographed Jazz dance to “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson.
3. She Is an Ivy League Graduate
Mund is an Ivy League Honors Graduate from Brown University and, leading up to Miss America, she was a Quality of Life finalist.
She aspires to become the first elected female Governor of North Dakota, according to her Miss America Organization bio.
4. Two of Her Close Friends Battled Cancer When They Were Kids
Not only has Mund’s mother dealt with cancer, Mund has had two friends who have battled cancer and one of them passed away from the disease. On her Instagram account, Mund posted a photo of herself from when she was just 5 years old. This was the caption:
Over the next 18 years, you will go through numerous trials and tribulations. In 2007 two of your classmates, Amber DesRoches and Kayla Hillestad, will battle cancer. On your 14th birthday, Amber’s battle will end. At her funeral, all memorials will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Kayla will be in the wish granting process, but her wish will be more expensive than average. Knowing that the power of a wish could restore Kayla’s sense of hope, you will take action … To raise the money needed for Kayla’s wish, you will become the founder of North Dakota’s Annual Make-A-Wish Fashion Show. What will start as a simple fundraiser for Kayla will evolve into an annual event that is more than just a fashion show. Within 10 years, your event will include 23 North Dakota Wish Kids, involve 47 businesses, and you will independently raise over $78,500 to make wishes come true for North Dakota children.
5. She Is Set to Start Law School at the University of Notre Dame
Mund will carry out her duties for one year as Miss America and then she will move on to be in law school at the University of Notre Dame. When she attends law school, she hopes to attain a Juris Doctorate.