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NEWS RELEASE For Release
April 24, 2002
Local High
Achievers Receive Three outstanding local young women
have been selected to receive the annual ATHENA Scholarship. The ATHENA
Committee of the Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce presents this
Scholarship program each year as a means of recognizing and supporting
young people who represent the values of the ATHENA Foundation. The ATHENA Foundation was established
to help open doors of leadership opportunity for women. This Scholarship
awards program was created in keeping with the ATHENA philosophy, which
maintains that by elevating people with potential and solid values, they
will be exceptional role models and will inspire others to achieve
excellence. Twenty-eight applicants vied for the
Scholarship opportunity this year. According to Kim Spirou, ATHENA
Committee Chair, every applicant was outstanding in the areas of community
service, academic achievement and leadership potential. “The caliber of
the applicants was indeed impressive”, reports Spirou. “The judges had
a difficult job selecting this year’s recipients from the large number
of strong contenders,” adds Spirou. In the end the judges selected Susanna
Tang, Chantal Thorn and Hannah Wong. Susanna
Tang has completed an Honours degree in
Psychology at the University of Western Ontario and is currently
completing a Business degree at the University of Windsor with emphasis in
Marketing. Her
desire to volunteer has helped inspire and increase leadership
opportunities within the community. She has provided the opportunity for
young people to make a difference through her efforts as a peer mentor for
new university students, organizing the University of Windsor’s
Cheerleading Squad (which she co-founded), and as well through her work at
the United Way to strengthen the relationships between volunteers and both
the Federal Government and Non-profit Organizations. In the future Susanna is interested in
pursuing a career in advertising or brand management at an advertising
agency or firm. She also has aspirations to own and operate her own
business some day. Chantal
Thorn is a student at the University of Windsor pursuing her
Master’s Degree in the Applied Social Psychology Doctoral program. From her outstanding work, Chantal was chosen in 2001 as a
representative of the Windsor Council of Women to attend the National
Council Women’s annual meeting as a youth delegate in British Columbia. Her positive attitude, hard work and
service to the community both academically and through her volunteer work
has not gone unnoticed as she has received recognition and appreciation
awards from Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF and the Canadian Mental Health
Association for her tremendous contributions to their causes. Regarded highly by her peers and
staff, Chantal has been offered an internship position at E.M. Vokes Ph.D
and Associates to conduct research. Hannah
Wong is a graduate of the University of Windsor’s Faculty of
Science. She graduated with a double major in Biochemistry and
Mathematics. Hannah is currently enrolled in the Master of Science program
at the University of Waterloo. Her
education, employment experience, extracurricular and community
involvement have provided her with the diverse and extensive background to
pursue a professional career in Science.
Hannah has excellent communication
skills and has shared them with others as an English tutor. She has also
published science papers and she has served her community as a volunteer
chronic care assistant at Grace Hospital. Hannah is an inspirational young leader and
a role model for others in our community.
In the future, Hannah plans to
continue her pursuit of higher education and will pursue a Ph.D in
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto. She
intends to focus her research efforts on the health care system in Canada. In addition to the monetary awards,
these three scholarship recipients will receive financial support to
attend the International ATHENA conference, which will be held in Dallas
Texas from April 25-27th. “The
ATHENA conference is an ideal opportunity for these young women to learn
more about leadership and at the same time network with an international
group of high achievers,” adds Spirou. The recipients will formally be
presented with their Scholarships at a Chamber event, which is scheduled
to take place in the fall. This scholarship program is generously
sponsored by Collins Barrow, Dan
Kane Chevrolet Oldsmobile Cadillac, PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, Rotary
Club of Windsor 1918, Rotary
Club of Windsor Roseland, Rotary Club of Windsor St. Clair and Windsor Family Credit Union. For further information please contact
Kim Spirou, ATHENA Committee Chair at 966-6033 or Lee Anne Doyle, Past
Chair, at 255-6281. -30- |
