At a reception held on the 59th floor of the Franklin Center, the Roosevelt Women’s Leadership Council welcomed the 2023-24 cohort of the Joan Deutsch Herczeg Scholars and announced its diverse programming for the upcoming academic year. Hosted by council member and Herczeg Scholar mentor Rian Spencer, the gathering was the first of the year’s many professional development events to promote women’s empowerment in academia and the professional world.
“It’s so encouraging and invigorating to see so many women here from different spheres who are committed to making an impact,” said attendee and Roosevelt alumnus Carol Collum. “I’m so thrilled to see what these women will achieve and what the council has planned for the rest of the year.”
The Herczeg Scholars—14 female undergraduate and graduate students across several Roosevelt colleges—each receive a $5,000 scholarship to assist their studies and support their growth as leaders. They are also paired with a professional mentor and participate in several leadership seminars throughout the academic year, overseen for the first time by a dedicated faculty advisor: Dr. Deb Orr.
A professor in the Walter E. Heller College of Business, Dr. Orr has developed a Leadership Development Curriculum for the scholars this school year. The program will provide them with a development program that focuses on understanding the relationship of communication, culture and situation to leadership. It will also include guest speakers and trips beyond the Roosevelt campus to meet female professionals exemplifying leadership in Chicago’s business community.
“I’m thrilled to learn more about these young women and oversee this curriculum,” said Dr. Orr. “This program has done so much to foster female leadership, and I’m looking forward to these scholars and young professionals developing over the course of the academic year.”
The scholars are also welcomed to attend the Women’s Leadership Council’s Holiday Luncheon and Women's Leadership Symposium. This year’s luncheon will honor Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the current Chicago city treasurer and Roosevelt alumna, while the symposium will welcome guest speakers to the Roosevelt campus in late February.
Congratulations to the 2023-24 Joan Deutsch Herczeg Scholars:
- Grace Beyer, journalism and media studies
- Beatrice Bruno, biology
- Kimberly Catalan, nuclear medicine technology
- Paulina Czupryna, journalism and media studies
- Grace Hahn, biomedical sciences
- Sadie Haywood, nursing
- Salma Mardi, English and psychology
- Mia Moore, history
- Amirah Muhammad, violin performance and history
- Kai Muhammad, graphic design
- Kayla Nelson, clinical psychology doctoral
- Krista Norton, real estate
- Kayla Rodriguez, nuclear medicine
- Kiyonna Wilson, education
