Womenetics connects scholarship hopefuls with inspiring leaders

Providing young women who want be leaders in the world of business with a total of $22,000 in scholarships is a pretty good cause in itself, but Womenetics goes above and beyond.

It connected its 10 scholarship finalists with more than 800 business and civic leaders at the 2013 Global Women’s Initiative, putting them right in the middle of a 20-minute panel discussion about their entry essays.

That kind of experience is rare for a student, and Womenetics’ commitment to giving finalists such an amazing opportunity makes it the winner of PR Daily’s 2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Award in the category of Best Education/Scholarship Program.

To enter the Advancing Aspirations Global Scholarship program, entrants were asked to write a 2,500-word essay examining issues such as women’s representation on corporate boards, corporate ethics, and making corporate culture parent-friendly. An outreach program connected with more than 385,000 potential applicants.

The team received 215 well-researched applications, which women from the fields of business, health care, finance, public relations, and higher education evaluated. The eventual 10 finalists earned money ($1,500 for runners-up, $5,000 each for the two winners) and were able to make extremely valuable connections with leaders from businesses all over the world.

The stated goal of team members Stephanie Proft, Jana Dannheisser, and Ellen Adair Wyche was to “inspire a future generation of trailblazers and catalysts by fostering connections between students with a passion for the advancement of women with current leaders in vital, impactful roles.”

Mission accomplished.

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