One of Canada’s first business schools to partner with the Forté Foundation’s groundbreaking campaign to encourage more women to pursue an MBA education, York’s Schulich School of Business has named six incoming students as inaugural Forté Fellows.
Schulich’s 2014 Forté Fellows, all of whom will receive unique development, leadership and networking opportunities through the United States-based Forté Foundation, are: Joyce Chan, MBA ’16 candidate; Negar Golchin Khiabani, MBA ’16 candidate; Sonja Hiemisch, MBA ’ 16 candidate; Jia Hui Yan, IMBA ’16 candidate; Andreea Cristina Ion, MBA ’16 candidate; and Ekta Bhardwaj, MBA ’16 candidate.
From left, Negar Golchin Khiabani, Sonja Hiemisch, Joyce Chan, Jin Hui Yan, Andreea Ion and Ekta Bhardwaj are first-year Schulich MBA students who will receive unique development, leadership and networking opportunities through as Forté Fellows
Forté Fellows are selected for their leadership in academics, teams, community or creative pursuits, as well as mentorship and/or commitment to the advancement of women and girls. Diversity in educational and work backgrounds, career goals, ethnicity and/or citizenship is also encouraged.
Partner schools are required to support at least two Forté Fellows through scholarships of at least $20,000 a year. University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and Queen’s School of Business are the foundation’s only other Canadian partner schools.
Founded in 2001, the goal of the non-profit consortium of leading companies and top business schools is to increase the number of women applying to and enrolling in MBA programs, with a view to achieving 20 per cent women on Fortune 500 boards by the year 2020.
“We are pleased to partner with the Forté Foundation in their important campaign to encourage increased enrolment of women in MBA programs through the added support of these Forté Fellowships,” said accounting Professor Marcia Annisette, executive director, student services and international relations.
Schulich’s alumni provide numerous extraordinary role models to women who may be considering an MBA, including RBC’s Kathleen Taylor, the first woman ever appointed chair of a major Canadian bank and who received her MBA/JD joint degree from Schulich and Osgoode Hall Law School in 1984. Janice Fukakasa (MBA ’79), chief administrative officer and chief financial officer at RBC, is also a Schulich grad. Another Schulich alumna, Colleen Johnson, who received her BBA in 1972, is now executive vice-president and CFO at TD Bank Financial Group.