Miss United States, a Ph.D. Student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, has passed off her crown after a busy year.

Lily Donaldson just wrapped up her year as Miss United States while studying at RPI.

She ended her reign on Sunday by crowning the next Miss United States, from Tennessee.

While serving as Miss United States, Donaldson volunteered at the St. Jude Memphis Marathon, rode in the Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade and volunteered at children’s hospitals around the country.

“I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to promote arts and science education across the country at public libraries, science museums, children’s hospitals, schools, and more. I’ll cherish the memories of all of the kids and community members I met during my year, forever,” Donaldson said in a statement.
Donaldson is the first Miss United States to travel to all 50 states during her year.

She is an advocate for STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math, and arts education for disadvantaged students.

Donaldson was recently accepted as a research assistant at NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies.