By: Jenny Castro
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/20/26
Historically, Miss America has been regarded as one of the most prestigious and influential pageants in the United States. Dating back to 1921, the pageant organization has crowned many accomplished women throughout the years who have gone on to achieve success in various industries while providing the winners with scholarship opportunities for higher education. A service oriented platform, Miss America prides itself on its commitment to community service and social impact. This past September, Cassie Donegan of New York was crowned the 98th Miss America, continuing the organization’s tradition of recognizing women who exemplify leadership, intelligence, and a commitment to change while utilizing the platform to advocate for meaningful causes. Originally from Virginia, Donegan grew up exposed to the world of arts as she engaged in dance classes at a young age and took part in theatre productions, “I was very blessed to have an early start to that professional career,” she said.
Donegan’s pageant journey also began at a young age, as she participated in a variety of local pageants throughout her hometown of Smithfield, Virginia. These early experiences helped shape her confidence and laid the foundation for her future success. “I remember participating in Tiny Miss when I was really little,” Donegan said. Adding, “But I didn’t discover the Miss America opportunity until I was nine. At that time, I joined the Little Sisters Program, where participants are known as princesses, and I remained involved until I was twelve.” Donegan would later place in the top five at the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant, earning both the Talent and Outstanding Vocalist awards. She then later went on to study musical theatre, and currently holds a degree in biblical studies from Ames Christian University.
After college, Donegan moved to New York, where she spent several years immersing herself in the city’s vibrant creative scene. Last summer, her dedication and passion earned her the title of Miss New York 2025, securing her a spot at the Miss America pageant in Florida last September, where she ultimately won the coveted crown. Reflecting on the outcome and her big win, Donegan said the moment was almost surreal. “To be honest, I kind of went blank for a second,” she said. “It was a little bit of an out-of-body experience because I have memories of watching the Miss America competition from the time I was a little girl. Growing up, this was a huge dream and statistically the odds are not necessarily in your favor, but it’s been the best whirlwind in every way since that night and throughout this journey.”
In regards to advocacy, Donegan focuses her platform on promoting arts education in school systems and is working around changing the narrative in regards to accessibility. “For children, we have to give them access to a robust educational experience,” she said. Adding, “They don’t get to choose where they go to school, their economic background, or the springboard they’re given or lack thereof. It’s our responsibility as adults to ensure that accessibility. That’s why I’m working hard to advocate for a federal nationwide standard to ensure that regardless of school district, there is dedicated funding within the Department of Education framework and budget to guarantee at least one arts educator on staff from elementary through high school in every school across the nation.” Donegan is also the founder of three arts education scholarships designed to help bridge that gap and bring her vision to life as she further explains, “Aside from my personal platform, we have multiple incredible partnerships through the Miss America Opportunity including my service as the national ambassador for the American Heart Association where I advocate for proper education surrounding heart health and overall wellness. We also have a partnership with Best Buddies International, which is both incredibly impactful and so much fun. As the older sibling to an individual with a disability, that’s a really special partnership for me.”
Coming from a long line of military service, Donegan is an honorary global ambassador for the USO, and takes pride in her family history as her dad is a naval veteran originally from the New England area. “My dad’s whole family is in New England, so I spent a lot of summers and holidays up there, which in some ways prepared me for moving to New York City when I got older, because it’s very different from Virginia. I like to say nothing truly prepares you for New York but if you move here and you love her, she’ll love you right back. Living here truly prepares you for literally anything, especially as a performer,” she said.
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Despite being highly accomplished, Donegan has faced many challenges throughout her life, especially during adolescence when she struggled with mental health and family hardships. Contrary to public perception which often paints pageant queens and titleholders as living lives of perfection and luxury, many people don’t see the adversity, resilience, and hard work behind the title as Donegan reiterates, “I want people to understand that there is not a specific background that you have to come from in order to achieve something like becoming Miss America. I come from a lower income household, and my mom is a multi-stroke and heart attack survivor while my dad is a 100% disabled veteran. My younger sister is also autistic. So, because of all of that, I was very different from a lot of my peers and was dealing with things at home that were not typical for people my age.” Donegan also notes that she experienced severe bullying while growing up, which at one point around the age of 12 led to suicidal thoughts. However, the love and support of her family, including a highly influential great-grandmother, combined with her passion for music and the arts, gave her hope and helped her persevere.
Currently, Donegan is pursuing a career in the arts and entertainment industry, while working as a voice and theater teacher. She is also the Chief Operations Officer to childcare agency, Southern Sitter, LLC. Her favorite aspects about New York? “I love how musicians, artists, and creatives all coexist in this beautiful space. The concept of Sonder has always fascinated me, and in this city you really see it, how everyone around you has a mission and a life entirely separate from your own, yet existing right alongside it. You can feel those busy elements all around Central Park,” she said. Donegan also has a great fashion sense, and refers to her style as “grandma-chic”, “I
Looking towards her role and legacy as the 98th Miss America, she shares her aspirations for service, leadership, and lasting impact. “My biggest goal as Miss America is that if even one person, and hopefully many more, feels seen, heard, and valued through my service, then I’ve done my job. At the heart of being Miss America is loving people. This role is rooted in service, something that has always been deeply important to me. I want Miss America to feel personal and present, not like a distant title you only see on TV or on social media. Most of all, I want people to know that regardless of where they come from or their background, they are capable of achieving something like becoming Miss America or any dream they choose to pursue.”
Follow Miss America on Instagram here.
Cassie Donegan Official: https://cassiedonegan.com/
