In a few short weeks, we will be kicking off our 2021 Women in Finance Scholarship application process. This scholarship acknowledges outstanding women aspiring to advance their education with the goal of pursuing a career in financial asset management, market risk management and derivatives finance within the capital markets. At FINCAD, we take immense pride in helping accelerate the winner’s successful path into the financial industry.
FINCAD has offered this scholarship for several years, and we’ve had some truly impressive winners along the way. Recently, we reached out to a few of them to understand how they’ve benefitted from the scholarship. The accomplishments of these remarkable women are of note, and their advice to other women pursuing similar goals is worth paying attention to — the value of perseverance, staying focused and that limits can be overcome with discipline, passion and commitment. I speak for everyone at FINCAD when I say I couldn’t be prouder of the role FINCAD was able to play in their current and future success.
2020 Winner: Nora Irene Ghartey
Last year’s scholarship winner, Nora Irene Ghartey, is currently using the award money to pursue her MSc degree in Financial Mathematics at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE).
“I was given a great opportunity, as the scholarship covered half of my tuition at LSE. Getting this much needed support for my studies, enabled me to pursue my master’s degree with less financial worry,” said Nora. We are happy to report that Nora is already preparing for her final examination and will complete her advanced Financial Mathematics degree in June.
“As I work towards my degree, I have gained a new appreciation both for persistence and the value of opportunity. Certainly, the pandemic has made my scholastic journey a little more challenging than it might otherwise be. But I am looking forward and persevering to attain my goals, while taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity that has been presented to me.”
2019 Winner: Danjela Guxha
In 2019 FINCAD awarded Danjela Guxha the Women in Finance Scholarship. Since then, she has used the award to pursue a PhD in Finance, with a concentration in asset and risk management, at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
“This opportunity has afforded me many valuable learning experiences; from completing courses in one of the best ranked business universities in Europe to collaborating with well-known researchers in the field of risk management,” commented Danjela. At present, Danjela is preparing a research paper on the insurability of pandemic risk, which she plans to submit to a well-regarded industry publication. She is also working to arrange a research fellowship in the US.
“My advice to other women coming up in this field is to stay focused on your goals. If you want to pursue a career path in finance, work hard to carve out your own opportunities for growth and advancement,” said Danjela.
2018 Winner: Monica Carrasco Gonzales
A Bolivia native, Monica was our 2018 scholarship winner. She applied the award towards completing her master’s degree in Wealth Management at the Université de Genève. “Having the opportunity to pursue my master’s degree has given me a spectacular view of modern and sophisticated finance, and the tools necessary to succeed in a rewarding risk management career,” she commented.
Currently Monica is employed as a National Coordinator of Finance at a large enterprise in Bolivia. “I am the youngest and only woman in a key position within the Finance Department. I enjoy my work and contribute daily to helping the firm develop and advance their finance management program,” said Monica, who was recently recognized as a top employee at her firm.
“FINCAD’s Women in Finance scholarship gave me the most important thing I needed to succeed: strong motivation. I have learned that ‘limits are just limits’ and can be overcome with the right combination of discipline, passion and commitment,” stated Monica. “I’m happy that I am able to set a positive example for other like-minded women in my country who may be interested in forging a career in the financial industry.”
2017 Winner: Shagoon Malhotra
Our 2017 scholarship winner, Shagoon Malhotra, used the financial award to complete her master’s degree in financial engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is now employed as an associate dealing with Quantitative Investment Strategies at Credit Suisse Asset Management in New York City.
“The funds allowed me to pursue higher studies in the US and build the technical skill-set needed to work in the field of quantitative asset management,” said Shagoon. “Obtaining my advanced degree in quantitative finance has given me the theoretical underpinnings of several subjects, which I now aspire to apply and test by putting myself in the shoes of a practitioner.”
“This is an incredible opportunity that FINCAD is giving women who have traditionally not pursued careers in Finance at nearly the same rate as men,” said Shagoon. “It is my belief that programs like these will go a long way towards encouraging women to attain their goals, and close up the gender gap we see in traditionally male-dominated fields like the Capital Markets.”
Are you, or is someone you know, interested in applying for this scholarship opportunity?
If so, check back with our FINCAD Women in Finance Scholarship web page on May 4, 2021 for more details and eligibility requirements. Please note that the scholarship is open to women of any citizenship who are studying Finance in an accredited graduate-level or PhD program.
