Sophia Julieta Dominguez-Heithoff (born March 13, 2000) is an American model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned

Miss Teen USA 2017 Miss Teen USA 2017 was the 35th Miss Teen USA pageant held at the Phoenix Symphony Hall in Phoenix, Arizona on July 29, 2017. Karlie Hay of Texas crowned her successor, Sophia Dominguez-Heithoff of Missouri at the end of the event. The pageant ...

. She is the second entrant from Missouri to win the title after

Marissa Whitley Marissa Whitley (born January 11, 1983) is a former Miss Teen USA, having won the 2001 title representing the state of Missouri. Born in Los Angeles, California, to an African-American father and European-American mother. The youngest of four, Ma ...

won

Miss Teen USA 2001 Miss Teen USA 2001, the 19th Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from South Padre Convention Island Center, South Padre Island, Texas on 22 August 2001. At the conclusion of the final competition, Marissa Whitley of Missouri was crowned ...

Life and career

Early life and education

Dominguez-Heithoff was born in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

to a military family, with her mother serving in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

. On her maternal side she is of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

descent, while on her paternal side she is

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

. She graduated from Park Hill South High School a year early in 2017, and attended the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

, where she studied political science and international studies and was a member of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

(ΦΒΚ) honor society. She is now a law student at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is a member of

Pi Beta Phi Pi Beta Phi (), often known simply as Pi Phi, is an international women's fraternity founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867 as I. C. Sorosis, the first national secret college society of women to be modeled after ...

(ΠΒΦ) sorority. Dominguez-Heithoff has created Community and Scholars Cooperatively, an organization dedicated to inspiring teenagers to take part in community service projects. Dominguez-Heithoff has lobbied with members of the

Missouri Senate The Missouri Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 34 members, representing districts with an average population of 174,000. Its members serve four-year terms, with half the seats being up for election every two yea ...

and

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

to pass a law to assist adults with developmental disabilities in the state of Missouri.

Pageantry

Dominguez-Heithoff was crowned Miss Missouri Teen USA 2017 on September 25, 2016, along with Miss Missouri USA 2017 Bayleigh Dayton. She later competed at

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

on July 29, 2017. Dominguez-Heithoff went on to win the competition, beating out first runner-up Vanessa Matheson of Oregon. She is the third Hispanic person to win the title of Miss Teen USA after Charlotte Lopez in

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...

, and

Hilary Cruz Hilary Carol Cruz (born December 4, 1988) is an American actress, model and beauty queen who won Miss Teen USA 2007. Biography Cruz graduated from Centaurus High School in 2007 and was going to attend the University of Northern Colorado but chos ...

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dominguez-Heithoff, Sophia 2000 births Activists from Missouri American beauty pageant winners American people of German descent American people of Mexican descent American disability rights activists Female models from Missouri Hispanic and Latino American female models Living people Miss Teen USA winners People from Kansas City, Missouri University of Kansas alumni USC Gould School of Law alumni 21st-century American women