Leah Pfeffer Lidsky Undergraduate Scholarships

The FWA’s undergraduate scholarship program is named in memory of the late Leah Pfeffer Lidsky, an FWA board member instrumental in establishing it and active in the establishment of our high school mentoring program.

Students who have completed the FWA High School Mentoring Program at Murry Bergtraum High School are eligible to apply for support to continue their studies at four year accredited colleges and universities if they have an 80 average.

The awards process is conducted by the Scholarship Committee in collaboration with the Mentoring Committee beginning in May and going through June of the student’s senior year. Students are asked to submit an application, an essay, their award letter and financial aid information from the college or university that they plan to attend, and each student is interviewed by a member of the scholarship committee. The student’s mentors are asked to submit a recommendation form.

Renewals for subsequent years for the students who have received awards for their first year of college are available. The Scholarship Committee requires these students to submit transcripts from their colleges to be sure that they are maintaining at least a 3.0 average. The students must also submit a renewal application, and a recommendation letter.

BMO Capital Markets Scholarship Program at Baruch College

Scholarship recipients will be selected by Baruch College in accordance with eligibility criteria determined by the FWA. Eligible students are juniors who have:

• Completed or are close to completing the business core courses at Baruch and intend to major in finance or a business-related discipline.
  
  
• Attained a GPA of 3.5 or better. The scholarships of students who maintain this GPA will be renewed for the senior year.
  
  
• Demonstrated leadership and an interest in advancing women’s roles in business through coursework, participation in clubs or activities, or both.
  
  
• Demonstrated financial need.

Because the FWA College Mentoring Program for select juniors and seniors at Baruch has proven to enhance the mentees’ academic experience and preparation for careers, recipients of BMO scholarships will be strongly encouraged to apply for it. Students in the Mentoring Program are assigned a mentor for two years and attend campus luncheons and events at President's Circle firms that are tailored for mentees. BMO scholars will also be eligible to be one of four mentees invited to attend other FWA events on a regular, complimentary basis.

These two years of financial support, coupled with one-on-one guidance and access to FWA professional development and educational programs through the FWA mentoring program, should create in the BMO scholars a strong affinity for the FWA that is expected to lead to active involvement in many cases.

Graduate Scholarships

The FWA funds a scholarship for second-year women students pursuing careers in business in five graduate degree programs in the New York City area. The intention of the FWA Graduate Scholarship Program is to provide access to FWA programming and FWA members for students who will complete their degrees in the spring or summer of the award year.

As of the academic year 2010-2011, the FWA has doubled the awards to $10,000 per scholarship. The schools select recipients in accordance with the FWA criterion: a combination of academic achievement and proven leadership predictive of continued involvement in the FWA. To increase the pool of potential recipients for the increased awards, the awards are now merit-based, instead of restricted to students applying for financial aid.

Because the schools select scholarship recipients, students interested in applying for an FWA Graduate Scholarship should consult the appropriate school office. FWA Graduate Scholars are not required to major in Finance, but their academic focus should have a strong finance component. Preferred majors include but are not restricted to: Finance, International Business/Finance; Finance/Economics; Financial Management; Finance and Accounting; and Economic and Political Development with concentration in Microfinance.

The awards of $10,000 per school currently are funded at:

• Columbia University Graduate School of Business
• Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (for specialization in microfinance)
• Fordham University Graduate Business School
• New York University Stern School of Business
• Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of New York