OSHKOSH – EAA AirVenture never featured a Miss America before.
But neither did the military.
Second Lt. Madison Marsh hopes her ability to be the reigning Miss America while serving as an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force inspires young women and men to become whoever they want to be.
“I’m in two very conflicting stereotypical roles when you think about women in military and when you think about women in pageants, and I’m willing to bet those are not the same people you’re going to think of when you think of those two roles,” Marsh said.
“You don’t have to think of the societal boxes people try to put you in as long as you’re doing what you love.”
Marsh shared her story during a special media session July 23 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh after becoming the first active-duty member of the armed forces to become Miss America.
It’s a been a year of firsts for the 22-year-old Arkansas native, who also became the only reigning Miss America to make an appearance at AirVenture in the 71-year history of the fly-in convention.
“She works with two very large organizations, so coordinating schedules is a challenge,” laughed EAA’s Director of Communications Dick Knapinski.
“Thankfully, we managed to do that, especially for young girls to have the opportunity to see her at WomenVenture because she’s accomplished so much in her life.”
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Beginning with an initial goal of being an astronaut, Marsh started flying as a civilian pilot at just 15 years old before graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in astrophysics.
She intends to return to Harvard to finish a master’s degree in public policy while doing pancreatic research on the side.
“I hope that this shows to other young women that you can do whatever you want, and young men as well,” she said.
Just more than 1,000 young women got the chance to see Marsh during Wednesday’s WomenVenture event before she signed a number of autographs in a meet-and-greet session at the Air Force’s asset at Boeing Plaza.
Yet, Marsh believes all of these appearances in both of her roles as Miss America and in U.S. Air Force recruitment isn’t about her.
“It’s about all the other women that have come before me that have opened up those doors to allow me to be in the position that I’m in now,” she explained.
“I got to meet young women all the way up to retired Air Force veterans, and that just shows the impact Oshkosh has and the ability all of us have to impact other people.”
After completing her duties as Miss America, Marsh intends to finish her master’s degree in public policy before deciding on a “conventional career path” in the Air Force.
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AirVenture runs through July 28.
The 71st EAA AirVenture Oshkosh runs daily through July 28 at Wittman Regional Airport, 525 W. 20th Ave., Oshkosh. Daily tickets are $45 for adult members and $63 for adult non-members. Veterans and active military members pay $45 while kids 18 years and younger are admitted free. For more information, go to https://www.eaa.org/airventure .
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Miss America hopes EAA AirVenture appearance inspires young people to break barriers
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