Three SMU MBA students – Presthysa Nagitha Lestari (Indonesia), Bhavya Sharma (India) and Tarini Kumar (India) – have been awarded the MasterCard MBA Scholarships for Women 2014.

First set up four years ago, the Scholarship is awarded to full-time female MBA candidates from Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and the programme aims to empower awardees to better manage their academic and community commitments, further developing them into academically outstanding, business savvy and socially responsible women.

Presthysa Nagitha Lestari said, “This scholarship has a very personal impact on me. It makes me feel highly valued and appreciated, which will drive me to always bring out the best in myself. This opportunity has given a boost to my self-confidence and self-appreciation, and certainly spurs me on to achieve my goals.”

Tarini Kumar shared that the scholarship has given her strength to pursue her dreams wholeheartedly.  She said, "The award of the MasterCard Scholarship has strengthened my conviction in my core belief of achieving excellence without sacrificing my social responsibilities. It also gives credence to my inherent creative self by providing me with the opportunity to explore and expand my professional and personal horizons through a comprehensive internship programme.”

Bhavya Sharma said, “I feel honoured and grateful to have received the prestigious MasterCard MBA Scholarship for Women. Such grants empower aspiring women business leaders like me to achieve our academic and professional goals. I am motivated to continue with my humble contributions to the community at large and would also like to encourage women leaders to value both business success and social responsibility.”

All three of them have been selected for their excellent academic record and entrepreneurship potential, as well as passion for community service.   Besides a scholarship, they will also get to go through an internship with MasterCard, where they will learn more about the business and operations of the global payments company.

[Photo: The SMU MBA prepares students to think, decide and act in a complex and constantly changing business environment.]

Dr Philip Zerrillo, SMU’s Dean, Postgraduate Professional Programmes, expressed his thanks to MasterCard for their continuous support towards SMU’s female MBA students.  “This scholarship not only affirms our students’ commitment and contributions to the community, it also spurs them on to achieve excellence beyond their academic pursuits.  Such encouragement from MasterCard promotes a greater awareness and understanding of the important role that women play in business and society, and enables the advancement of more women into senior leadership roles in businesses for greater diversity in the workplace.”

Georgette Tan, group head, Communications, Asia/Pacific, Middle East & Africa, MasterCard, said, “The MasterCard MBA Scholarships for Women is part of MasterCard’s broader commitment to women’s advancement and we are delighted to see the keen competition that the scholarship receives every year. We believe that empowering these women to continue to pursue academic and professional brilliance while continuing to make a difference in their communities will develop them to be great role models for their peers, families and society.”