Kara McCullough, a chemist working for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was crowned May 14 at Miss America at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on the Las Vegas Strip. She will go on to compete on the Miss Universe contest.
McCullough is from Washington, DC, which has won back-to-back Miss USA titles.
The runner-up was Miss New Jersey Chhavi Verg. The second runner-up was Miss Minnesota Meridith Gould. Fifty-one women representing each state and the nation's capital participating in the decades-old competition.
McCullough was born in Naples, Italy, but she was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Last year, District of Columbia resident Deshauna Barber became the first-ever military member to win Miss USA.
Photo Credit: AP