2020 Women’s Leadership Institute Emerging Leaders Scholarship Winners Announced
April 23, 2020
The College of Social Science is proud to announce the winners of the 2020 Women’s Leadership Institute Emerging Leaders Video Scholarship Competition.
MSU Students were asked to consider the fact that women leaders are among the most impactful in investing (time, energy, finances) in world change. In a two-minute video students explained how in the future they will use their financial knowledge, success, and capability to create world change.
The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) executive board looks forward each year to reviewing applications, connecting with student applicants, and providing practical support through the scholarship. Dr. Amanda Guinot Talbot the WLI Mason Soneral faculty fellow said of this year’s process, “among the student submissions there was great diversity and power in their aspirations for world change!”
Human Development and Family Studies Student Brittany Newfer is the $1,200 grand prize winner. Political Science and International Development student Gifty Owusu-Tawiah is the $700 second place winner and Political Science student Danielle McClain and HDFS student Elisha Smith are the $500 honorable mention winners. To qualify, students had to be currently enrolled at Michigan State University and able to receive scholarship distribution in the spring term.
"I applied for this scholarship because I've attended events hosted by the Women's Leadership Institute, and I've found them to be incredibly supportive. This scholarship will be hugely beneficial to me, as I am planning on attending graduate school in the fall!” said Newfer.
“I appreciate the opportunity to share my dreams of being a successful mentor and role model to young women of color, and I hope to help other women just as this scholarship will help me,” said McClain.
The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) offers programming intended to support, advance, and empower students in achieving their leadership aspirations. WLI was designed to support and empower women students with leadership aspirations. WLI ignites women leaders with a vision of advancing leadership equity for women globally through thought leadership, creating a sustainable community, and providing high quality programming for our students, faculty and MSU community.
“I really love the Women's Leadership Institute and everything it stands for, I myself try attempt to embody many of their missions in my own personal life. I saw this scholarship as a great opportunity to also share my thoughts on leadership,” said Owusu-Tawiah.
“I know that female leaders are some of the strongest leaders in our country, and I wanted to emphasize that each of us has what it takes to be a successful leader,” Smith added.
The videos of this year’s scholarship winners are listed below:
Grand Prize Winner $1,200
Brittany Newfer
Human Development and Family Studies
Second Place $700
Gifty Owusu-Tawiah
Political Science and International Development
Honorable Mention $500
Danielle McClain
Political Science
Honorable Mention $500
Elisha Smith
Human Development and Family Studies
The mission of the Women’s Leadership Institute is to ignite women leaders with a vision of advancing leadership equity for women globally. The WLI offers programming intended to support, advance, and empower students in achieving their leadership aspirations.
To learn more about the Women’s Leadership Institute and how you can become involved follow the link below: