Two Chicago Students Awarded $10,000 in Nation-Wide Scholarship Contest

ATLANTA, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Out of nearly 400 essay submissions from over 300 colleges and universities across the country, two undergraduates from Chicago-area schools were selected to win a total of $10,000 for their essays focused on challenges and solutions surrounding global women's issues. Third-year Northwestern University student Judy Wu and second-year University of Chicago student Thuy-Khue Tran are the first place award winners of the Advancing Aspirations Global Scholarship created in conjunction with the Womenetics Global Women's Initiative: The Ripple Effect conferences. Each winner will receive $5,000 as well as a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the 11th Annual Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center in 2012. Wu was selected by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer for her 2,500 word essay that focused on international access to education and a proposal for literacy and educational development in Nigeria. Tran was similarly selected for her essay on women's economic empowerment and how gender equality can impact the global economy. Ambassador Verveer congratulated these young women for their efforts and endorsed their views on the importance of women and girls in the global economy.

In an effort to encourage undergraduate students to research and ignite awareness about international issues, Womenetics joined forces with Georgia-Pacific and Discover Financial Services to award a total of $22,000 through the Womenetics Advancing Aspirations Global Scholarship competition. Each company will award a first place winner and four runner-ups a total of $11,000.

"Womenetics recognizes the power of young people and we're dedicated to connecting students interested in the advancement of women with those in vital, impactful roles," says Elisabeth Marchant, president and CEO of Womenetics. "Womenetics seeks to inspire future leaders of global advancement by providing information and education on measures being taken to empower women."

US Ambassador Verveer remarked, "I applaud Womenetics for creating this dynamic network that inspires and connects women everywhere. The students who entered this contest are already leaders; the solutions they proposed showed so much thoughtfulness and care for the world they are going to lead. I am confident that our world will be in good hands with them."

About Womenetics

Womenetics is a business media platform providing substantive information for and about women. Womenetics celebrates women in the workplace and focuses on them as leaders, exploring how women's abilities can be effectively employed to impact today's critical challenges. Womenetics inspires women to become engaged, control their destinies and take their place in business and the public realm. Through compelling content online, at events and within a web-based community, Womenetics cultivates relationships between its audience and foremost thought leaders around global issues, leadership development and business insights.

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SOURCE Womenetics