Women's Leadership Institute honors graduates, celebrates year's accomplishments at 2025 Capstone event
April 18, 2025 - Emily Jodway Patyna
Photos by Jacqueline Hawthorne.
The MSU Women’s Leadership Institute celebrated another successful year with its annual WLI Capstone Celebration held on April 10. The event, which brought together alumni, supporters and members of the Student Cohort, was made extra special by the WLI also celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Before the capstone event, the Student Cohort gathered on April 9 to wrap up the semester with a recap and discussion of the lessons they have been learning this year surrounding professional development, personal goals, and self-confidence. The discussion was led by MSU alum and WLI supporter Michelle Needles.
Thursday’s event began with a networking reception followed by a discussion and Q&A session with Jenae Lodewyk. “From Center Court to the Crown: Leadership Lessons with Miss Michigan” saw Lodewyk offer valuable insight based on her own experiences as a young professional. She is currently in her fifth season working for the Detroit Pistons, where she currently serves as the Manager of Player and Family Engagement in Baseball Operations.
As the Miss Michigan 2024 winner, one of her missions is to encourage career exploration, promote professional development, and advocate for women working in male-dominated industries. She spoke to the group about working hard, creating new opportunities, and learning how to show up and advocate for herself, which in turn will open up space for more opportunities for the professional women leaders of the future.
The biggest thing that I learned about in my early 20s was change, and every year into my 20s has had more and more change,” she said. “Change is exciting at first, sure, but it's also hard and it's scary, and at times it's really lonely. But what I know now is that change is also growth. It's being challenged and tested, and eventually you do come out on the other side.”
When I look to the future, I'll be honest with you, I don't even know what comes next for me. I've never really known what comes next. What I do know, though, is that new adventures are ahead, and I will show up for myself in each and every one of them. I will show up for all of you too in each and every one of them, and I can't wait to see the ways that you will show up for yourself in your future.”
The event also featured student leadership testimony from two members of the WLI Student Cohort, second year cohort member and junior student Anjali Konkipudi, and fourth-year cohort member and senior student Katarina Parker. Konkipudi, a political science and pre-law major pictured below, says that she originally was attracted to the cohort for the professional development opportunities and ended up finding a space to thrive with like-minded individuals harboring goals and aspirations similar to her own.
“The Women’s Leadership Institute isn’t just about developing yourself professionally, but making yourself a better person and recognizing that you have what it takes to be a leader in your own life,” she said.
Parker, pictured below, spoke about her personal journey over the past four years with the cohort. The environmental engineering student is one of the original members of the student cohort and has seen it grow and evolve while continuing to be a supportive, judgement-free space.
“It’s not always easy to create such an amazing space and environment,” Parker said. “I think continuing to use the skills that we’ve learned and the relationships that we’ve made, and continuing to uplift women, is really important in order to create more environments with cultures like the WLI.”
The group wrapped up its celebration with an announcement of this year’s WLI Scholarship winners, as well as a recognition of the 2024-25 WLI Student Cohort and a send-off for the 17 graduating seniors given by WLI Director Amanda Guinot Talbot. With funding from eight different sponsored scholarships, a total of 21 students received awards to be put toward a variety of educational pursuits, including internship opportunities, experiential learning trips and research projects.
Guinot Talbot praised the many accomplishments of the student cohort members both within the past year and throughout their time with the Institute. She spoke highly of their journeys, their achievements, their resilience and commitment to excellence as students and leaders.
"You are phenomenal leaders, and we're so proud of you, every cohort member. I want you to hear that you have value. You're here, you're worth it, and you are doing it, and we're proud of you,” she said.
Cohort members are leading the charge and taking action to change the world. Many are graduating and are on their way to master’s and PhD programs, research positions, and summer internships with local government organizations, public service and the nonprofit sector. Some have been accepted into multiple graduate schools, including Columbia, Georgetown, the University of Michigan, and John Hopkins, and will have their choice in where to attend. Others have earned prestigious postgraduate scholarships or will be preparing for their next year here at Michigan State, continuing to leave their impact on countless areas across campus through their leadership roles.
See the full list of scholarship winners and graduating seniors below.
To learn more about the MSU Women’s Leadership Institute, click here.
WLI Cohort Scholarship Awardees
Dhwani Bagrecha | Carolyn Jackson Legacy Award
Heba Awamleh | Ebert Family Leadership Scholarship
A’Nyah Banta | Ebert Family Leadership Scholarship
Sophia Futo | Ebert Family Leadership Scholarship
Bridget Hafner | Ebert Family Leadership Scholarship
Rachel Applegate | Cherie Talbert Advocacy Scholarship
Sydney Bair | Loaiza-Souza Leadership Award
Ariel Ooms | Loaiza-Souza Leadership Award
Mary Grace Styblo | Loaiza-Souza Leadership Award
Khadija Hozefa Bilaspurwala | WLI Experiential Learning Fund
Cierra Guinn | WLI Experiential Learning Fund
Ashmi Ranjan | WLI Experiential Learning Fund
Heba Awamleh | The Barnow Empowering Leadership Award
Hannah Hurd | Sollenberger WLI Cohort Scholarship Award
Skyler Mays | Sollenberger WLI Cohort Scholarship Award
Ellie Misiak | Sollenberger WLI Cohort Scholarship Award
Ariel Ooms | Sollenberger WLI Cohort Scholarship Award
Victoria Scott | Sollenberger WLI Cohort Scholarship Award
Roberto Garcia | Larsen-Becker DC Study Away Award
Jaelynn Smith | Larsen-Becker DC Study Away Award
Nina Blum | Larsen-Becker DC Study Away Award
WLI Cohort Class of 2025 Graduates
Alsalihi, Zainab | Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Environmental Health
Applegate, Rachel | Social Work with a minor in Leadership of Organizations
Bagrecha, Dhwani Rakesh | Psychology with minors in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Leadership of Organizations
Finjap, Samantha | Political Science – Pre-Law with minors in Law, Justice, & Public Policy; and Graphic Design
Guerrazzi, Isabella | Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science with minors in Peace & Justice; Law, Justice, & Public Policy; and Business
Johnson, Jasanti | Human Development and Family Studies with minors in Youth & Society and Business
Kalkauski, Carly | Social Relations and Policy with a minor in Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Mangar, Susma | Social Work with minors in Bioethics and Human Behavior & Social Services • Nicolaysen, Emma | Neuroscience and Economics with a minor in International Development
Norwood, Adena | Anthropology with a minor in International Development
Ooten, Raegan | Marketing Research & Analytics (Master’s) with minors in Non-Profit Leadership; Global Cultures; and Social Enterprise
Parker, Katarina | Environmental Engineering
Sanghvi, Aanika | Psychology with a minor in Leadership of Organizations
Smith, Lauren | Economics with minors in Mathematics; Leadership of Organizations; and Social Science Quantitative Data Analytics
Tinsley, Celeste | Economics with minors in Business and Quantitative Data Analytics
Voss, Kyla | Human Capital and Society and HRLR (Master’s Dual Enrollment) with a minor in Leadership of Organizations
Zander, Aireana | Criminal Justice with minors in Human Behaviors and Social Services