Bay County cheers as one of its own, Miss Michigan Jenae Lodewyk, heads to the Miss America Pageant

Royalty filled the Saginaw Bay Yacht Club recently as the Miss Bay County Scholarship Program invited well-wishers to send Jenae Lodewyk to the Miss America pageant.

Taylor LenhardA green and gold balloon arch inspired selfies with and without Miss Michigan. Lodewyk, who was Miss Bay County 2023, was crowned Miss Michigan in 2024 and will compete for Miss America in 2025. (Kenadie Mlujeak serves as Miss Bay County 2024.)

The send-off event drew family, community members, and pageant royalty to support and encourage Lodewyk as she heads to Orlando for the Miss America competition Dec. 31 to Jan. 5.

Linda Bilhimer, the Executive Director of the Miss Bay County Scholarship Program, says she is excited to see Lodewyk represent her hometown on a national stage. 

Lodewyk also is excited about the opportunity, but her focus remains on serving Michigan.

“When I went for Miss Bay County, I wasn’t thinking of becoming Miss America. I was thinking about serving Bay County,” Lodewyk says. “That’s all I ever wanted to do. This journey has been such a wonderful opportunity to serve Bay County, now serve Michigan, and potentially serve America. In doing that, I’m still representing my hometown and that’s been a treasure.”

Bay City Mayor Jesse Dockett also says he’s happy to see a Bay County woman in the running for a national crown.

Taylor LenhardVivian Szczepanski, one of the Bay County Sweethearts, writes a message for Lodewyk to read later.“We’re proud of her and all her work and wish her the best at Miss America,” Dockett says.

Lodewyk says her experiences thus far have been amazing, even before the Miss America pageant.

Taylor LenhardLodewyk was crowned Miss Bay County in 2023, Miss Michigan in 2024, and will vie for the 2025 Miss America crown.“I’ve done so many cool things as Miss Michigan,” she says.

Professionally, Lodewyk is the Manager of Player & Family Engagement for the Detroit Pistons, who recently held a Miss Michigan Night.

“I’ve been with the team for the last five years and that’s a really cool coming together of my Miss Michigan world and my basketball world,” she says.

Taylor LenhardBay County Sweethearts and pageant winners from around the state joined the send-off. From left, Vivian Szczepanski, Sofia Szczepanski, Isabella Slater, Lodewyk, Mabel Sabourin, Avery Goss, Elle Klett, and Genevieve Slater. Lodewyk hopes to use her crown to encourage kids to dream big.

“Something that’s been really cool about me coming into the limelight and having a platform as Miss Michigan and Miss Bay County is I get to talk with girls and boys about specialized careers,” Lodewyk says. “Growing up in Bay County, you may not see careers that are happening in Detroit.”

Taylor LenhardMiss Michigan Jenae Lodewyk greeted family and friends at an event to send her off to the Miss America competition later this month.Her platform includes “Women in the Workplace: Advocating for Women Working in Male-Dominated Industries.” She promotes the platform on social media and through classroom visits where she talks about the different career pathways available after high school.

Taylor LenhardA table at the event was covered in promotional pictures, a glittery basketball, a Barbie that looks like Lodewyk, and more.Lodewyk, a graduate of Bangor John Glenn High School and Wayne State University, knows what she’s talking about.

“I went to Delta, I went to the Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center, I did dual enrollment. I took all these different paths that led me to a specialized career. It’s been really awesome to give our youth in Michigan more resources on expanding their horizons.”

Taylor LenhardFamily and friends came to the send-off. Wishing Lodewyk good luck are, from left, Rod Cramer, Dawn McEvoy, Peggy Lotridge, Miss Michigan Teen Isabelle Musk, Miss Michigan Jenae Lodewyk, Paula DeWall, and Chris Schram.This is the fifth time a Bay County woman earned the state title, but the first time a reigning Miss Bay County won the honor.

• In 2019, Mallory Rivard (Bycraft) was named Miss Michigan. She served as Miss Bay County in 2015, but served the state crown while serving as Miss Great Lakes Bay. 
• Katie Lynn LaRoche was Miss Michigan in 2010 while serving as Miss Capital City. She was Miss Bay County in 2008.
• Kelli Talicska was Miss Michigan in 2004, while serving as Miss Kalamazoo County. She was Miss Bay County in 2001.
• Sue Schemm – Miss Bay County 1975 – was crowned Miss Michigan in 1978. She was serving as Miss Van Buren County when she won the Miss Michigan crown.