Recent Seton Hill University graduate and Beaver Area High School alumna Mackenzie Longo was awarded the title of Miss Three Rivers 2023, as part of the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Organization and Miss America Competition.
The Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Organization empowers young women between the ages of 18 and 26 to earn scholarship awards for college, give back to their community, create a platform to exhibit their personal view on a critical issue, develop their public speaking and interview skills, and gain self- confidence.
“I began in the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship program two years ago and served as Miss Butler County. I learned and grew so much as a result, along with building so many personal connections, that I made the decision to return this year. I was thrilled to be selected as Miss Three Rivers, representing the Greater Pittsburgh area, and be given the opportunity to continue to advance my social impact initiative – ‘If You Can See Her, You Can Be Her: Empowering Women in STE(A)M’ – which is all about encouraging young girls and women to pursue STE(A)M-related career paths,” said Longo.
Mackenzie graduated cum laude with her degree in Honors from Seton Hill earlier this month after majoring in Biology and Secondary Education. Throughout her daily life as a secondary science educator, she strives to empower young women and girls to challenge the stereotypes that exist in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, (Arts), and Math, known as STE(A)M.
“I chose the theme of STE(A)M education as my community service initiative because I believe there are unprecedented opportunities in these career paths for girls and women. STE(A)M involves thinking critically, analytically, and logically. It also approaches problems with creativity. STE(A)M subjects and activities can teach students how to think like a scientist, become better at problem solving, and make
them marketable employees in a wide range of careers,” Longo explained.
A native of Beaver, Mackenzie’s interest in promoting women in STE(A)M is more than just a social platform – she has created a science kit aimed at elementary aged students, along with companion instructional videos available via YouTube, where she guides students through science experiments. “I have been personally delivering science kits to schools in the Pittsburgh region, visiting classrooms, reading together and doing science experiments together. Sharing my love of science with the young
students has been rewarding for me, and I think I met some future scientists through my visits, too,” exclaimed Longo.
Over the next year, Longo will be highly visible at community and sporting events, where she frequently makes appearances.
In order to part of this dynamic program, candidates must first win a local competition to be eligible for Miss Pennsylvania. There are more than a dozen local programs in the Keystone State, which is a preliminary to the iconic Miss America Competition. The 2023 Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition will be held June 15-17, 2023 in York, PA.
(Photo provided courtesy of Mackenzie Longo)