By: Jenny Castro
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 08-30-2026
Recently crowned Miss Massachusetts this summer, 25 year old Ashlyn Mercier is bringing an unconventional resume to the pageant stage. Multifaceted, Mercier is currently a police officer and holds a bachelor’s degree in national security from the University of New Haven and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University. Her journey from law enforcement to pageantry reflects a career and a life defined by ambition and commitment to making a difference. Telling us more about her journey, Mercier reflects, “I was raised in Oxford, Massachusetts, which is a small town in Worcester County, and I am currently a Worcester resident. So, we’re the second largest city in New England,” she said. Adding, “My dad is also a police officer, so I’m a second-generation law enforcement officer. I’ve just always been inspired by the positive impact my father has had on his community through his work, and I’ve always been interested in criminal justice in some capacity,” said Mercier.
Mercier’s passion and interest in criminal justice has taken her career to new heights as she graduated from the police academy in 2025 after working as a public safety dispatcher for the town of Westborough. In terms of being a woman working in law enforcement, Mercier has had mixed reactions from people ranging from both positive to negative as she further explains, “I was very fortunate,” she said. Adding, “My mom is such a strong woman, and she’s someone I look up to and admire. I was never raised in an environment where I was told I couldn’t do something because of who I was, especially because I’m a woman. So, getting into a male-dominated field was never something that felt scary to me. However, since becoming a police officer and becoming Miss Massachusetts, I have noticed some negative comments from people who genuinely believe that women don’t belong in the police force which has been a little hard to read. But at the end of the day, I’m secure with myself and my position and there are people who do support me.”
Inspired to change the narrative of women in law enforcement, Mercier is utilizing her platform as Miss Massachusetts to help set an example for other women out there who may consider entering the field, “I really want to show young girls they can aspire to do what they want, and that they can be multifaceted and successful in different areas of their lives,” she said. Regarding Mercier’s advocacy platform, it is deeply personal which was inspired by her brother’s experience as a childhood cancer survivor. Titled “Nick’s Courage,” Mercier hopes to raise awareness to the community and be a voice for those suffering. “It’s named in honor of my younger brother Nick who is a pediatric cancer survivor. I was only four years old at the time when Nick was diagnosed, and my goal with my platform is to bring positivity and hope into the lives of children who are currently undergoing critical illnesses or undergoing treatment. Through the Miss America opportunity and through developing my community service initiative, I’ve been able to partner with charities and organizations that share a mission very similar to mine, which is all centered around those positive moments or those hopeful moments that you can provide to a child who’s undergoing treatment during a very dark or serious time in their life,” she said.
Mercier reiterates that one of her biggest goals as Miss Massachusetts is to utilize her platform as a titleholder and partner with children’s hospitals throughout the state in hopes of making a difference in the lives of children. With the Miss America competition coming up this week, Mercier is busy prepping for the pageant with mock interviews, keeping up with her physical and mental health and practicing her talent routine.
As a lifelong dancer, Mercier loves all aspects of the Miss America organization as it allows her to utilize her many talents into the organization as she explains, “The pillars of the Miss America organization are style, service, scholarship, success and sisterhood, “ she said. Adding, “What I’ve found for myself, and what I would say to any girl considering competing in the Miss America organization, is that it brings together many of the passions I’ve had throughout my life and gives me one space and one platform to dedicate all of those passions to. Whether it’s the fact that I can still dance, connecting with the other incredible women competing in the organization and making lifelong friendships, or the self-development and growth that comes from learning how to interview, speak publicly, and carry yourself with confidence, there are so many different opportunities. Then there’s the service component. I’m a public servant as a Westborough police officer, but I’m also able to serve and advocate through my work with Nick’s Courage. The organization gives me a space for all of the things I love so much in my life to come together in one place and on one platform. That’s really the benefit of the Miss America opportunity for me and why I’m so passionate about this system in particular.”
Visit https://missamerica.org/ for more information on the upcoming pageant taking place in Palm Beach, Florida with the finale on Sunday, September 6th.
Official Miss MA website here.
Miss MA Instagram
