In May of 2024, I had just wrapped up my statistics final. Brain fried and more caffeine needed, I was finally ready to stop staring at Excel for the first time in days. Before I could take a step toward summer break, my phone exploded with notifications, group chats, DMs, and news alerts, all with the same message: The reigning Miss Teen USA has resigned. For the first time in the organization’s history, the national titleholder had stepped down — and I was asked to step up and accept the crown.
This was a decision I couldn’t have imagined making. My pageant journey began when I was 13 and drawn to the combination of service, scholarship, and empowerment that pageantry celebrates. As I was growing up with an untraditional family background, pageantry gave me a voice through which to represent something larger than myself. Being raised by a single mother who served in the Army instilled the importance of creating opportunities through grit, not waiting for them to happen.
It felt like my dedication had finally paid off when I earned the opportunity to compete for my childhood dream. This goal was much more than a crown; it was proof that my past wouldn’t dictate my future. I won Miss New York Teen USA, a title that gave me a platform through which to expand my advocacy and ultimately to compete at Miss Teen USA 2023. On the national stage, I was honored to win “best interview” and be named first runner-up for the title. That accomplishment was even more meaningful because I knew that in addition to the competition, I’d spent years balancing Wharton deadlines with nonprofit work, hundreds of hours of service, and the launch of my own youth empowerment movement, Hands of Hope.
Now, eight months after Miss Teen USA, news headlines informed me of the choice I suddenly faced. Life doesn’t wait for perfect timing. The national title was within my grasp, yet I had already committed to Penn’s Global Research & Internship Program in Bangkok, Thailand. After some soul-searching and conversations with family and friends, I decided to spend my summer in Thailand. As I watched the internet react to my public statement, I was grateful for the outpouring of support. The right decision was to honor my commitment. Your word and character are your résumé for life.
Still, I boarded the plane to Thailand with my stomach in knots and my heart full of emotions. Being at Wharton fuels a constant drive to strengthen my business skill set and think more critically about global challenges. After spending two transformative months overseas, I returned home with more than just memories. I served as a marketing strategy and research analyst, learning firsthand how international business operates. I worked on client strategy with brands like Vogue Thailand. I shared unforgettable moments with two friends who became some of my closest at Penn, and I developed a newfound trust in myself.
That summer planted the seed for me to seek more. Within weeks of returning, I applied to study abroad at the London School of Economics and was accepted into its top-ranked program through Wharton and Penn Abroad. My semester in London was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience: I studied under leading professors on subjects ranging from foreign direct investment to artificial intelligence and spent weekends sampling cuisines from every corner of the globe. I also took my children’s book and Hands of Hope curriculum across six countries, collaborating with schools and youth groups in the U.K., Europe, and Asia. I learned that the world is more than a place to explore — it’s a classroom.
The growth, although it was uncomfortable at times, shaped the perspective I have on the world today. I might never have had the opportunity to immerse myself in those experiences had I made a different choice. When I was asked to take the title of Miss Teen USA, I feared that saying no to the culmination of years of hard work and the chance to represent young women from nontraditional family backgrounds would mean letting go of something bigger than myself. Miss USA remains a goal of mine, and if the opportunity comes, I’ll pursue it with the same purpose and integrity, now strengthened by new perspectives and life experiences.
Saying “no” in that moment wasn’t turning away from a dream — it was a powerful “yes” to everything I’ve built, everything I believe in, and everything I’m still becoming. The worlds of pageantry and of business aren’t mutually exclusive; they are both essential parts of who I am.
Stephanie Skinner W26 is concentrating in management. She’s passionate about service, traveling, performing as a dancer, and exploring new cities.
Published as “Principles in Practice” in the Fall/Winter 2025 issue of Wharton Magazine.
