A conversation with 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh ’23, the first active duty military member to be crowned Miss America 2024, about her  background, leadership experiences, transition to Harvard Kennedy School, and key lessons on empathetic leadership and following one's passions.

 

SUMMARY

Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, the first active-duty military member and Miss America 2024, discussed her journey and leadership experiences. She highlighted her foundation for pancreatic cancer research, her academic achievements, and her role as a mentor at the Air Force Academy. Marsh emphasized the importance of empathetic leadership, mental health support, and balancing personal and professional life. She shared her transition from aspiring to be an astronaut to focusing on public policy and her current studies at Harvard Kennedy School. Marsh underscored the significance of passion, support from family and mentors, and the impact of diverse perspectives on leadership.

 

OUR FAVORITE QUOTES

1. "Don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do yourself." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh


2. "Your life is too short to live it for someone else or to do things that you are not passionate about." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh


3. "I knew that if I put 100% into something I'm passionate about, the outcome and the impact that I'm gonna have is going to be far greater than forcing myself into this idea of who other people want me to be." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh


4. "Leaning on people, whether it is your partner or a loved one, that is how you're going to succeed in life." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh


5. "Being an empathetic leader, being a leader who goes by example. So don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do yourself."

- 2nd Lieutenant Madison Marsh

 

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CHAPTERS

00:00 :  Empathetic Leadership: The Foundation of Success
02:43 :  Journey to the Air Force Academy: A Personal Story
11:33 :  Overcoming Tragedy: The Power of Support
16:18 :  Leadership Lessons from the Academy
28:31 :  Navigating Career Changes: Finding Passion
45:02 :  Key Takeaways: Empathy and Passion in Leadership

 

 

TAKEWAYS

1. Embrace empathetic leadership - Truly understanding and supporting your team members, even when they are struggling, is crucial for effective leadership.


2. Lead by example - As a leader, you should be willing to do anything you ask of your team and not ask them to do something you wouldn't do yourself.


3. Follow your passions - Pursuing work and activities you are truly passionate about will lead to greater fulfillment and impact than forcing yourself into a path for others.


4. Build a strong support network - Relying on partners, mentors, and loved ones can provide the encouragement and guidance needed to overcome challenges.


5. Prioritize self-care - Taking time for your own mental, physical, and emotional well-being is essential to being an effective leader and avoiding burnout.

 

 

ABOUT MADISON

Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, crowned Miss America 2024, poses in a Colorado Air National Guard hanger on Buckley Space Force Base on August 7, 2024. Marsh embodies service in and out of uniform, proving that you can achieve your dreams and goals while serving in the United States Air Force.  Image Credit:  Ms. Miram Thurber, Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs

2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, USAFA class of ’23, and Miss America 2024 is the first active-duty member of the military to hold the title.  She is also the first such title holder in 50 years for Colorado. She attained her private pilot license at the age of 16. She is a highly accomplished humanitarian, scholar and service member. After the loss of her mother in 2018 to pancreatic cancer, she established a foundation to raise funds for research to fight the disease. When she became a cadet, she excelled in her physics and astronomy studies, winning a Truman scholarship and is now pursuing her master’s in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.  

 

CONNECT WITH MADISON

Instagram:  @‌missamerica  |  @‌madiisabellaa

 

 

ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP

Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!

    

 

 

FULL TRANSCRIPT

OUR SPEAKERS

Guest, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh ’23  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99

Naviere Walkewicz  00:22

My guest today is Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, USAFA Class of 23 and newly crowned Miss America.  This is a first for an active-duty member of the military and one for the Colorado history books in that she is the first such title holder in 50 years for the Academy's home state. But there is much, much more to Lieutenant Marsh, including her attaining a private pilot's license at the age of 16. She is a highly accomplished humanitarian, scholar and service member. After the very difficult loss of her mother in 2018 to pancreatic cancer, she established a foundation to raise funds for research and to fight the disease. When she became a cadet, she excelled in physics and astronomy, earning a Truman Scholarship, and is now pursuing her Master's in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. We'll talk with Lieutenant Marsh about her most meaningful and impactful experiences at the Academy in research, athletics, leadership and character development. We'll discuss her speaker role at this year's National Character and Leadership Symposium, and ask how her new role as a national speaker and influencer informs her mission and message. And finally, we'll have the lieutenant share a few takeaways on leadership and character development with you, our listeners. Lieutenant Marsh, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad to have you.

 

2nd Lt. Madison Marsh ’23 

Thank you so much for having me.

Naviere Walkewicz 

Absolutely. And before we dive in, as we normally do, we'd love to know how things have been going since you've been crowned.

 

2nd Lt. Madison Marsh ’23  01:51

It has been very, very busy. I've been really lucky that the Air Force decided to keep me on active duty this year, because not only am I getting to serve in a uniform like this, but I'm also getting to serve in that crown and sash. And so, there's so many different experiences that I've gotten to have, whether it's a mixture of days that I'm going and promoting the military, or days that I'm doing a very different type of service. So I never know what I'm gonna’ get every day that I wake up on the job. So it's been pretty cool.

 

Naviere Walkewicz  02:16

That is awesome. Can you share something that's really stuck out to you as just really memorable?

 

2nd Lt. Madison Marsh ’23  02:21

So far, one of my favorite trips that we went on was Normandy for the D-Day anniversary, and I loved it because I had actually gone there last year, right after I commissioned with my fiancé, that was one of the first things we saw as officers. And now getting to go back with a year under my belt with a very different experience, I got to really see that history for like firsthand again. And I just think every time that I look at those headstones, it reminds me of what it means to put on our uniform, what our flag really means to me. And now being able to have that firsthand experience and sharing that with students across the nation, because I want people to understand what it means to serve every day, to hopefully invite people to come and join us and get excited about what service is.

 

Naviere Walkewicz  03:06

Oh, that's incredible. And, I mean, I think just to reiterate your commitment to service, and then to be able to see how you carry that message through history, I think is really powerful. Oh, that's amaz