Michiana mother makes history as ‘Miss Indiana USA’

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind.-- She is beauty, she is grace, and for the first time ever, she is also a married mother.

Stephanie Sullivan, the newly crowned title holder, sat down with ABC57’s Jackie Bauer to share her journey and prep for the Miss USA pageant.

Stephanie has three boys, her own business, and now the crown.

On top of that, an incredible message to share with all the women out there is that they can do it all!

She hasn’t been competing in pageants her whole life, but after a recent change in the rules allowing her to compete, she felt called to do so.

She was Miss Elkhart County, then competed in Miss Indiana USA, where she won it all, becoming the first married mother and oldest woman to ever do so at 33.

Now, she’s in the running to become Miss USA, and from there, even Miss Universe.

Her boys couldn’t be prouder.

She hopes her historic win helps spread her message of self-love to other women out there.

“I encourage you to chase after a dream that you haven’t, because you thought, because of your age or because you're a mother, that you couldn’t do it. I just want to be that support and that encouragement to those women,” she said.

Steph is hard at work preparing for Miss USA on August 4th in Los Angeles, where she hopes to become the first married woman, mother, and oldest to ever take that title as well.

She would also make history as the first Miss Indiana USA contestant to be crowned Miss USA.

Follow along with her journey and receive more updates at @missinusa.