QS-Duisenberg Scholarship for Women in Finance: 2014’s Winner

The QS-Duisenberg Scholarship for Women in Finance is offered by the Netherlands’ Duisenberg School of Finance (DSF) to provide postgraduate funding for female candidates applying to finance-related master’s programs. Duisenberg School of Finance’s Jesper van de Vooren explains that this award, which provides a tuition fee waiver worth €10,000, is part of DSF’s commitment to nurturing a more diverse generation of future financial decision-makers. “At Duisenberg School of Finance it is our responsibility to develop leaders who take the broadest possible view of finance, and understand its impact on firms and society. We feel a higher percentage of women in finance will contribute to this impact.”

This year’s winning applicant, Fridah Ntarangwi, agrees with this sentiment. “Women are the backbones in our society, they are home managers, they even shape male leaders from a very tender age. Why then should they be excluded from top leadership?” She adds, “Businesses that embrace gender diversity benefit from the divergence of ideas that supports good corporate governance.”

Postgraduate funding to support professional growth

Coming from Eastern Kenya, Fridah completed her bachelor of commerce at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. After five years working in a busy finance department at Kenya Wine Agencies, she’s spent the last three years as a financial markets analyst at the Central Bank of Kenya. Believing that a master’s degree would have a large impact on her career progression, she started looking for programs and postgraduate funding opportunities online, and registered to attend the QS World Grad School Tour in Nairobi.

“I learned more about the admissions interview, preparing for the GMAT and the overall admissions process. I met many business schools and had a pool to choose from,” she recalls. However, in order to achieve her dream of enrolling at a leading business school, she knew she needed to find some postgraduate funding to support her. “Duisenberg School of Finance and QS provided that opportunity, and I gave it my all.”

Fridah’s application certainly impressed the DSF admissions panel. “Fridah is a perfect example of the student profile we love to see,” van de Vooren says. “She is a very well-rounded candidate, coming from a good background, with a strong GMAT test score and in possession of excellent communication skills. She makes herself a perfectly fitting candidate not only for DSF, but also the job market post-graduation. We are looking for candidates with analytical, but also social and communication skills, and Fridah seems to embody all.”

The importance of scholarships for women

Those applying for this scholarship for women in finance are asked to write an essay on the topic of how a higher proportion of female financial leaders would change the financial landscape. This, Fridah says, was a subject she approached with relish. “I am passionate about getting a support structure as a woman, both at family and professional level. With eight years’ experience as a working professional, I have already experienced gender-based discrimination, even though quietly. It is more prevalent in Africa where a woman’s place is seen as being the kitchen. So I always wanted to one day be able to represent women and society at the highest level. I took this essay to heart.”

Fridah received the good news of the postgraduate funding on her birthday, describing the moment as “emotional and humbling”, and says she feels like she’s been given “wings to fly” to the next level of her career. Looking forward to studying in Amsterdam, “one of the financial hubs in Europe”, she’s keen to benefit from the opportunities for academic challenge and international exposure DSF offers – while also anticipating lots of fun.

Full of ambitions for the future, she’d like to one day complete a PhD, as well as gaining experience working abroad in a multinational financial institution, before returning to Kenya. She adds, “In the near future I want to start a blog on financial literacy as a way of giving back to society. I would like to be a role model to young girls, especially in Africa, who would like to realize their full potential.”

Find out more about the QS-Duisenberg Scholarship for Women in Finance >