FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
-- Award Recognizes MBA Women for Contributions to Advancement of Women In Business --
Austin, TX (June 15, 2009) – The Forté Foundation, a consortium of major corporations, business schools and non-profit organizations that directs talented women towards leadership roles in business, today announced the winners of the first annual Edie Hunt Inspiration Award.
The joint award winners are Gouri Shintri, MBA Student at Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, and Rebecca H. Libby, MBA Student at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The Edie Hunt Inspiration Award, designed to recognize the outstanding achievements of women MBA students at Forté sponsor schools, is awarded based on contributions the winners have made to their school or community to advance women into business leadership positions. The award was created to honor the Chair Emeritus of Forté's Board of Directors, Edie Hunt. Edie is currently the Head of Global Diversity and Managing Director at Goldman, Sachs & Co.
“Edie Hunt has long been a crusader for diversity at the top in business. and has a passion for helping to advance more women into leadership roles. She was one of the founders of the Forté Foundation and was critical to making it a success through her connections at myriad companies,” says Elissa Ellis-Sangster, executive director of the Forté Foundation. “This award pays special tribute to Edie for her many contributions to the emerging women business leaders now pursuing their MBA who are walking in her footsteps.”
All full-time students at Forté sponsor schools, a prestigious group of 37 leading business schools, are eligible to be nominated either by themselves or a school official or classmate. Nominees exhibit a track record of working to increase and/or encourage women's interest in business school or business careers. The selection criteria includes: increasing women's interest in attending business school; encouraging women to pursue business careers; leadership of a student organization or initiative related to women; active involvement in school activities recruiting women; and mentoring or counseling young women about business careers.
Award recipient Gouri Shintri graduated with her Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Strategy from the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business in May 2009. While at Tepper, she was President of Tepper Women in Business (TWIB), Vice President of the Marketing Club, and a member of the Public Speaking Club. She reached the semi-finals as the National Association of Women MBAs Case Competition Captain, and earned several scholarships. She worked with the admissions department to organize the prospective women’s day twice a year by recruiting volunteers and presenting, hosting, and volunteering throughout the event. She was also actively engaged with Tepper’s marketing department by influencing the
development of the Tepper women’s recruitment brochure.
“Gouri’s leadership and commitment to women’s initiatives while at the Tepper School of Business has empowered the next class of women to continue the work she and her executive leadership team established through the work of the TWIB club and other student clubs,” according to Colleen M. Smith, Director, Diversity Strategies and Programs, Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business. “Gouri’s efforts in mentoring undergraduate women about the value of an MBA gave them new perspectives on potential business careers and how an MBA offers the flexibility to guide their career in various directions.”
Award recipient Rebecca Libby is pursuing her Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Strategy, & Managerial and Organizational Behavior from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and will graduate in June 2009. Among many accomplishments, Rebecca served as one of three Booth student representatives on the University of Chicago Women’s Business Group prize planning and selection committee. She also was a Dean’s Admissions Committee Co-Chair, in which she pairs prospective Chicago Booth women to serve as a point of contact and resource while planning and coordinating Admission’s Weekends. Rebecca is also a Leadership Facilitator, counseling first-year women on leadership opportunities at Chicago Booth and career options for their internships and beyond.
“Becky Libby is a bright, motivated, and inspiring woman who has truly made an impact at Chicago Booth. From motivating her peers to getting involved on campus, to creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and inclusive for prospective students, she is always working to better herself and her community,” says Carrie Lydon, Assistant Director of Admissions, Chicago Booth. “There is no doubt that she is a natural leader, and will surely make a difference throughout her career.”
The winners will be publicly recognized during the Dialogue with Leadership session at the Annual Forté MBA Women’s Conference, June 26, to be held at NYU Kimmel Center, New York, NY. For more information about the MBA Women’s Conference, visit www.fortefoundation.org/mbaconf.
ABOUT FORTÉ Forté is a nonprofit organization with the goal of achieving gender parity at all levels of business. Forté works closely with business schools, corporations, and universities to ensure women have access to opportunities at every stage in their careers. Forté offers a wide variety of resources, including MBA prep, professional development, leadership education, and a diverse community of successful women. For more information, visit fortefoundation.org. Media contacts: Michele Vana, BCW Global, michele.vana@bcw-global.com; Katie Stanfield, Forté Foundation, katies@fortefoundation.org Download the PDF
