Courtney Scanlon wants to be her own boss — and she’s already on her way.
Scanlon, a junior at California University of Pennsylvania, is majoring in business administration, with a concentration in marketing. And she is putting her education into practice as CEO of her own company, Color Me Courtney, a spray-tanning business she started on campus.
The business, which began as part of a school project, has become a viable enterprise. Scanlon applies more than 70 spray-on tans a month — a safer alternative to traditional tanning. Working with as many as 20 people per session, she earns about $100 per hour, she says.
Scanlon began her business after she recognized a need in the "market" she saw every day: her college classmates and friends. Now she has loyal clients on campus and as far away as Morgantown, W.Va.
Scanlon’s extracurricular activities don’t end there. At Cal U she is involved in eight clubs, from the Latin Dance Club to the Entrepreneurs Club, and she serves as vice president of Cal U’s nationally ranked Student Marketing Association.
She says being involved on campus has helped her to form lasting relationships and explore her strengths. "Definitely get involved with various clubs," she advises other students. "It’s a way to find yourself.
"Make the most of your classes and put your time into your coursework, too. Certain core courses will really ignite you, if that’s where your passion is. You’ll know that’s where you want to be."
Scanlon aid she appreciates the opportunity to work with professors who have real-world experience, especially in business. She considers her Cal U education the foundation of her future success.
"I want to have the fresh ideas. I want to be the creator," she says. "I have always been a leader, and it makes sense for me to continue my life that way."