Press Release:

Financial Women of San Francisco Doubles 2018 Scholarship Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, (BUSINESS WIRE) May 14, 2018 – Financial Women of San Francisco (FWSF), an organization dedicated to leadership, mentorship and the advancement of women, has announced it has more than doubled its college scholarship awards over previous years and named four undergraduate and eight graduate students attending Bay Area colleges and universities as 2018 recipients.

Tweet this “We could not be happier to support these remarkable women in pursuing their educational and career goals and we welcome this inspiring 2018 cohort to the FWSF community.”

“The increased amount and number of awards this year directly benefits these amazing students and we extend our heartfelt thanks to our generous donors and sponsors who made these increases possible,” says Kathleen Nielsen, FWSF 2018 President. “We could not be happier to support these remarkable women in pursuing their educational and career goals and we welcome this inspiring 2018 cohort to the FWSF community.”

FWSF has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to more than 200 Bay Area women over the past 30 years. The FWSF scholarship grants, $10,000 for undergraduate and $15,000 for graduate students, will help further each recipient’s education for careers in financial services. In addition to financial support, FWSF scholarship recipients are offered the opportunity to be mentored, become FWSF members and attend career development and networking events.

Former FWSF scholarship recipient Ami Arroyo confirms, “Not only did the funds arrive at a crucial point in my education, I was also paired with a mentor who understood the nuances of navigating a career in financial services. While the funds helped as I completed my MBA, it was the mentorship that opened my eyes to a new side of finance and launched me into a network of wonderfully successful women that wholeheartedly love to give back.”

The 2018 FWSF scholarship recipients will be honored June 8th at the annual Scholarship Awards Program and Luncheon at the City Club in San Francisco, where they will share their inspiring stories with approximately 200 members of the Bay Area’s financial community. Registration for the event is currently underway.

Each of the scholarship winners is an academic and community leader in line with FWSF’s mission and has often overcome tremendous obstacles. For example, Monica Rin, who aspires to be a venture capitalist, was born in a Thai refugee camp into a family of survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide. She is currently pursuing a dual MBA in finance and entrepreneurship and a master’s degree in Asian Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco.

Swati Chopra is an accomplished cybersecurity professional who is passionate about women’s empowerment. Chopra aims to set up a venture focused on increasing employability for underprivileged women and has set a goal to help one million women become financially independent. She is pursuing an executive MBA at Wharton, San Francisco.

Qurat Ul Ain Syeda is a first-generation college student at San Jose State University pursuing a degree in accounting. She hopes to serve as role model for young Muslim women who want to have a career in accounting.

2018 graduate scholarship recipients:

Swati Chopra - Wharton San Francisco
Lauren Fu - University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business
Smriti Hyoju - St. Mary’s College
Barbara Janczer - University of San Francisco
Monica Rin - University of San Francisco
Jackie Rotman - Stanford University and Harvard University
Feroza Safi - California State University, East Bay
Alexis Wise - Stanford University
Undergraduate scholarship recipients:

Marielle Bernabe - St. Mary's College
Lauren Kinerk - Santa Clara University
Maria Ortega - University of California, Berkeley
Qurat Ul Ain Syeda - San Jose State University
For more information on the scholarship program, FWSF, or to become a member, click here.

About Financial Women of San Francisco

For more than 60 years, the Financial Women of San Francisco have sought to advance the success of women in finance and financial services and to be a source of insight and inspiration to financial women executives and managers throughout the Bay Area.

The organization’s membership includes women in positions of influence within the financial services sector and women who hold senior level positions within non-finance companies, government agencies and the non-profit sector. Members include CEOs, CFOs, corporate treasurers, CPAs, attorneys, commercial and private bankers, investment advisors, fund managers, securities analysts, administrators, financial planners, consultants, recruiters and marketers.

Contacts
Harden Communications Partners
Cindi Goodsell, 510-635-4150
cgoodsell@hardenpartners.com

 

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