Top 10 Finalists Selected Through Nationwide Search for 52nd Miss USA Contestant

The nationwide search for a 52nd contestant to join this year's MISS USA® competition has been narrowed down to 10 deserving women who are all one step closer to competing for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of BECOMING Miss USA.

It is now up to the public to determine which #FindingMiss52 finalist will travel to Las Vegas to compete for the title. Beginning today, fans can vote for their favorite finalist on Twitter by using #FindingMiss52, alongside a hashtag specific to each woman, or via MissUSA.com.

The #FindingMiss52 announcement and search sparked national attention and encouraged women across the country to apply. An expert judging panel selected the 10 finalists after interviewing the top contenders to find women who embody The MISS UNIVERSE Organization's mission to be Confidently Beautiful.

The Top 10 #FindingMiss52 finalists:

Jessica Bean is 24 years old from Casper, Wyoming. Jessica travels the nation working on oil and gas pipeline reserves. Although an often dangerous field, Jessica earns the respect of her colleagues no matter the challenges presented to her. In addition to her sometimes 80-hour work week, she is also a full-time student planning to graduate with honors from the University of Wyoming this spring.
Hashtag for voting: #JessicaB

Amanda Bell, is 24 years old from Nashville, Tennessee. Amanda is a computer programmer and role model for young girls who are interested in STEM careers. She currently volunteers with high school students, many of whom are male, through job shadowing and workshops. Amanda hopes to reach more young girls who are interested in technology and show them that the career path is exciting and important for women.
Hashtag for voting: #AmandaB

Bridgette Garb is 21 years old from Oak Park, California. Bridgette is a personal fitness trainer and believes happiness starts with health. She is also an actress and feels that the art form allows her to cultivate empathy through performance and allows others to celebrate and understand one another.
Hashtag for voting: #BridgetteG

Niki Kafashzadeh is 24 years old from Rockville, Maryland. Niki is a speech pathologist and looks forward to starting her rotations at Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. this fall. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 22 and feels it is important to raise awareness about the disease particularly because young women are most susceptible to it.
Hashtag for voting: #NikiK

Alexandra Miller is 26 years old from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Alexandra is no stranger to competing for the title of MISS USA and has been 1st runner-up twice at the MISS OKLAHOMA USA® competition. She says those moments challenged her and allowed her to become comfortable with the woman she is today. She hopes that with #FindingMiss52, she will finally have the opportunity of competing on the MISS USA® stage.
Hashtag for voting: #AlexandraM

Kaitlyn Smith is 26 years old from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Kaitlyn is proud to be the first person in her family to graduate college. She works in a male-dominated field as a urological medical device representative. When she isn't training surgeons on the latest OR technology, Kaitlyn enjoys teaching dance classes. Also an actress, her dream is to use performance to shift our culture towards greater equality for women.
Hashtag for voting: #KaitlynS

Ivana Thomas is 22 years old from Durham, North Carolina. Ivana is a recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship of the East and was previously the captain of her school's debate team. She has traveled extensively to teach students who are refugees from Somalia, Iraq, and Syria, among other nations.
Hashtag for voting: #IvanaT

Yvonne Vega is 25 years old from New Braunfels, Texas. Yvonne wants to help influence others to become the best version of themselves. She feels her curves are what make her beautiful and hopes to show people that you can do anything you set your mind to, no matter what the preconceived limits may be.
Hashtag for voting: #YvonneV

Molly Vierhile is 23 years old from San Francisco, California. Molly loves to explore the world and has traveled to nearly 30 countries. After battling anorexia in college, she currently works in a research lab at Stanford University studying this complex disorder. Through her research and working with teenagers who struggle with the illness, she is able to give back in a bigger way.
Hashtag for voting: #MollyV

Catherine Williams is 24 years old from San Antonio, Texas. Catherine currently serves in the United States Army. She is a first generation college student and Division I athlete. She is a fighter who challenges herself every day and says the most important decision she has made in her life was when she swore to protect our country and the constitution of the United States.
Hashtag for voting: #CatherineW

For full bios and photos on the top 10 #FindingMiss52 finalists, please visit FindingMiss52.missusa.com.

Find MISS USA® on Facebook and YouTube, and follow on Twitter and Instagram. For additional information please visit www.missusa.com.