Valerie Macon / Miss Universe Organization via EPA

Olivia Culpo, newly crowned Miss Universe 2012, poses with Miss Universe organizer Donald Trump during the press conference after the 2012 Miss Universe Competition in Las Vegas on Dec. 19, 2012.

By TODAY.com news services — Rhode Island native Olivia Culpo took the crown Wednesday night at the 61^st annual Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas, becoming the first American to nab the top prize since Brook Lee in 1997.

“I’m dreaming … it’s a dream,” Culpo told fellow contestants with a shocked smile as they gathered around her after the announcement. Read the full story.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Miss Universe Organization is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC.

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