Sprott School of Business Bachelor of Commerce student Aanya Baindur and Technology Innovation and Management (TIM) master’s student Shahrzad Kahrizi were recognized at the Zonta Club of Ottawa’s 23rd Annual Women's Empowerment Awards.
Zonta International Women in STEM ScholarshipShahrzad Kahrizi
Shahrzad Kahrizi, a Master of Entrepreneurship candidate in the TIM program, is the inaugural recipient of the Zonta International Women in STEM Scholarship, a new scholarship designed to encourage women to pursue education, career opportunities, and leadership roles in information technology.
An international student from Iran with a background in Industrial Engineering, Shahrzad is a research assistant in the Cross-Border Digital Inclusive Entrepreneurship Center at Sprott. Her research focuses on cross-border entrepreneurial opportunities, innovation community building and revenue generation opportunities for the center.
"For a new immigrant like me, it is important to have clubs and associations like Zonta that support women, especially in entrepreneurship and in areas like science and technology. I am very thankful for this award," said Shahrzad during her acceptance speech.
Zonta Club of Ottawa Jane M. Klausman Women in Business ScholarshipAanya Baindur
Aanya Baindur, who recently completed her second year of Sprott’s Bachelor of Commerce program, received the 2023 Zonta Club of Ottawa Jane M. Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship, which helps women pursue undergraduate and master's degrees in business management and overcome gender barriers.
"As a transgender woman of color in the world of business, I am acutely aware of the unique challenges we face, but this scholarship award reminds me that our voices are powerful, our stories are valuable, and our contributions are essential," stated Aanya as she accepted her award. "Thank you to the Sprott School of Business for empowering me to go out there and turn my dreams into reality. Where others offered doubt, Sprott offered only encouragement."
Aanya is an active advocate for equality and inclusion as director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Sprott Business Students' Society. She also founded a non-profit organization, Trans Advice Initiative, which aims to help transgender and gender-questioning individuals discover identity and seek support during their journey.
Both scholarships are awarded by Zonta Club of Ottawa in the amount of CAD$1,000. Shahrzad and Aanya's applications are nominated for the district competition for a chance to receive an award of US$5,000 from Zonta International.
Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy.