“Success truly begins when you choose yourself.” That is the message Gannon University sophomore Skylyn Goodenow wishes ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ students would remember throughout their time here.
Goodenow continues to chase her personal success as she is gearing up to step on the national stage representing Pennsylvania at the Miss Teen USA pageant sometime this fall.
Goodenow recently earned the crown of Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA, marking the culmination of over a decade of dedication to pageantry.
But her mission isn’t just about personal success, it is also about professional and educational success.
As a marketing major, Goodenow is passionate about supporting women in business—a commitment that inspired her to establish a new scholarship at Gannon University.
“My platform is supporting women in business,” she shared. “This past summer, I met with someone in the advancement office at ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ and established my own scholarship. I’m working on adding funds now, and I hope to award the first scholarship this upcoming spring semester to a woman in business to help her pursue her degree.”
The scholarship will be both need-based and merit-based, requiring a GPA of 3.5 or higher and a short essay about the applicant’s passion for business. Applications are expected to open in the spring semester.
Goodenow’s journey to this point has been shaped by years of community service, from volunteering at animal shelters to raising funds for organizations like Make-A-Wish.
“Pageant girls all need a platform and do community service work. It’s a really big deal in the pageant world,” she explained. “Interview is half of our score, and that’s where I talk about my platform and my community service work.”
Originally accepted into ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ’s physician assistant program, Goodenow made the bold decision to pursue her true passion in marketing.
“I realized that wasn’t a decision that would fulfill me,” said Goodenow. “Me finding my own passions in life and discovering my love for marketing, I just want to help other young women do the same.”
Striving to work in the fashion or health and beauty industries, Goodenow describes herself as a “girlie girl,” and wants to be a role model for women to pursue careers even if they are traditionally male dominated.
“I just felt like a healthcare major was pushed on me a lot in high school,” Goodenow continued. “Now realizing my classes are men, business and STEM majors in general are male-dominated fields, so I just think it’s important for women to have representation.”
Looking ahead, Goodenow looks forward to continuing her pageant journey by competing for the Miss Pennsylvania USA title once the competition is announced soon.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to hold both titles,” said Goodenow. “There have only been a few who have been both Pennsylvania teen and miss.”
Best of luck to Goodenow when she takes the stage and competes against women from across the country as Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA.