Abbie Stockard of Birmingham, Alabama was named the winner of this year’s Miss America pageant over the weekend in Orlando, Florida, beating out runners up from Texas, Tennessee, and Florida.

Stockard, who was crowned Miss Alabama back in June and earned her way into the Miss America pageant, is a current nursing student at Auburn University. Her Miss America victory will net her approximately $50,000 in scholarship money towards her education. Along with her nursing education, she also previously was on the Auburn University Tiger Paws dance team as well as receiving the Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Leadership Award last week ahead of the pageant.

Stockard becomes just the fourth ever Miss Alabama to go on to win the Miss America pageant and first since Deidre Downs accomplished the feat two decades ago in 2005.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey congratulated Stockard on the achievement and sharing a picture of the two taken after she was named Miss Alabama. “Our very own Miss Alabama, Abbie Stockard, has won the title of Miss America!” Ivey wrote. “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Abbie, and I know firsthand what an outstanding young woman she is. She is incredibly deserving of this honor. Congratulations, Abbie!”

Stockard was sure to express her gratitude in a social media post for the entire experience even before she actually won going into the final night of competition.

“Thanking the Lord for placing me here this week and giving me one of the most incredible experiences of my life,” she shared on Instagram. “Regardless of the outcome, I want to express my deepest thanks to my friends, family, the amazing Miss Alabama board, and the wonderful people of Alabama for making me feel so appreciated and loved. I hope I’ve made you proud and represented you well.”