Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation
Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation
SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, July 1, 2020 – Forty-three technology-oriented women received scholarships at a Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation virtual event on June 24. The women are pursuing degrees that will prepare them for future careers in areas such as computer science, robotics, data science engineering, cyber security and software engineering.
Over the past 15 years, MCWT has awarded over $1.27 million to fuel the educational pursuits of 210 of the state’s future technology talent. A strong network of partner companies and individuals who support a diverse IT industry in Michigan make the program possible.
“Our scholarship program is a critical piece of growing the number of women working in tech in Michigan,” noted Melanie Kalmar, Corporate VP, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Dow. “We support, inspire and encourage these amazing young women to pursue their career passion. Through their work, we increase the number of women in tech education, helping fill the huge demand for jobs in technology and growing the diversity in a field traditionally dominated by men.”
MCWT’s 2020 scholarship recipients include:
MCWT Scholarship Fund:
Zosha Korzecke (Lansing)
Friends of MCWT Foundation Scholarship:
Amar Dabaja (Dearborn Heights), Allison Hurley (Canton), Himaja Motheram (Canton), Ritika Parikh (Canton), Erica Mackenzie Schliem (Grand Rapids)
Amerisure Scholarship:
Savannah Manley (Canton), Hafsa Sultana (Farmington Hills)
Dow Scholarship:
Beste Aydin (Bloomfield Hills), Nicole Belans (Farmington Hills)
FCA Scholarship:
Katherine Nicholson (Grand Rapids), Sumedha Vadlapudi (Novi)
Secure-24 Scholarship:
Arsha Ali (Troy), Arushi Arora (Novi), Melody Denby (Flint), Jenna Sultes (Utica)
ServiceNow Scholarship:
Rejwana Miah (Hamtramck), Nina Moyski (Northville), Annika Price (St. Joseph), Leiya Rybicki (Freeland)
Consumers Energy Scholarship:
Ayah Awadallah (Dearborn), Katelynn Dubiel (Ortonville), Ketaki Gaiwad (St. Joseph), Anne George (Novi), Farah Tahnin (Warren)
Credit Acceptance Scholarship:
Shazeen Biviji (Novi)
MASCO Scholarship:
Alyssa Anderson (Livonia), Savanah Barnes (Burton), Rachel Crowley (Midland), Katherine Guthrie (Delton), Nicole Nelson (Fenton), Priyal Shah (West Bloomfield), Alyssa Taylor (Roscommon), Katherine White (Midland)
Lear Corporation Scholarship:
Megan Blaesing (Center Line), Baylie Burkowski (Northville), Hannah Dunn (Shelby Township), Miranda Gonzalez (St. Joseph), Mariam Mahmoud (Ann Arbor), Alyssa Tarkowski (Traverse City), Megan Worrel (Troy)
Thirdware Scholarship:
Jessica Messing (Freeland)
Yazaki Scholarship:
Nikitha Chittela (Canton)
University of Michigan student and 2017-2020 scholarship recipient, Shazeen Biviji, spoke to the new class of awardees.
“This scholarship opened the door to professional development, industry experience and a community of peers,” she said. “MCWT does more than just relieve a financial burden – it invests directly into your success as a student and future technology professional. I urge everyone to take advantage of the opportunities this organization provides, and MCWT will prove itself an advocate as you navigate your professional futures.”
Scholarship donors this year include MCWT partners Amerisure, Consumers Energy, Credit Acceptance, Dow, FCA, Lear Corporation, MASCO, Secure-24, ServiceNow and Yazaki. MCWT supporters also contribute to scholarships. Each recipient is paired with a mentor who meets throughout the year to support the scholar as she navigates her academic years. This year’s recipients represent 13 colleges and universities in Michigan.
MCWT Scholarship Task Force Lead Marisa Bahn, General Motors, and MCWT University Mission Director Judy Asher, Ford Motor Company, were co-emcees for the program sharing details about MCWT’s University Program. The scholarship program runs annually October to June with mentoring June through June. MCWT’s three-year old internship program works to introduce female technology-focused students with Michigan-based companies and has landed over 80 internships during the last three years. For more information, visit MCWT.org or contact MCWTintern@mcwt.org.
MCWT is committed to inspiring and growing women in technology. The nonprofit published research earlier this year that maps out the technology career journey for girls and women, uncovering key motivations and challenges along the way. “Explore, Focus and Grow: A Technology Career Journey in Michigan” is the result of conversations with middle school girls participating in our technology camps, surveys with university students studying technology and women working in technology roles. Through all of these life stages, the study found a tech career attracts girls and women with opportunities to create positive impact, solve problems and be creative. Throughout the year, MCWT works with partner companies, teachers and other stakeholders to connect women with technology-based opportunities.
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation’s vision is to make Michigan the No. 1 state for women in technology. The organization supports Michigan’s female IT workforce, students, corporate partners, schools and the overall community with programming, scholarships, networking, learning, mentoring, and technology experiences. Find more information at mcwt.org and connect via LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Contact: Chris Rydzewski, MCWT executive director
248.514.0306
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