Lily Donaldson

Lily K. Donaldson is a Ph.D. student and STEM and Arts Education advocate from Memphis, Tennessee. In 2020, Lily graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from American University in Washington, DC where she was a Divison 1 Cheerleader, Honors college student, and student stage-lighting designer. In 2021, Lily graduated with a Master of Science in Lighting from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York. She’s currently working on a Ph.D. in Ecology and Agriculture at RPI. Lily has previously worked as a software developer for the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, and the NASA DC Space Grant Consortium. She plans to return to the federal government upon completion of her Ph.D.

Lily directs a nonprofit called Art Technically that promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Arts education for disadvantaged students at Title 1 and rural K-12 schools. She was inspired to found Art Technically after attending Title 1 schools in Memphis with underserved arts and science programs and after becoming a first-generation college student. Art Technically provides disadvantaged K-12 students with free STEM and Arts workshops, free STEM and STEAM books, STEM and Arts themed toy donations including teddy bears in scientist costumes, or "Science Bears", a program called Love Letters, where students learn to code Valentine's Day cards for Meals on Wheels programs, and a student science-journalism program called Hello World funded by Society for Science.

During her year as Miss United States, Lily plans to promote STEM and Arts education nationwide through Art Technically’s toy donation, book donation, and workshop programs, and engage with local communities across the country. She also plans on working with the U.S. Department of Education, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals