Past Scholarship Recipients

Fall 2023 - 

Spring 2023 - 

 Yu-Hsin Tseng

Yu-Hsin Tseng is a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, where she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in International Relations. Her areas of focus are International Trade and South Asia Studies. Yu-Hsin is deeply passionate about exploring the world. During her undergraduate studies, she served as a member of the International Volunteer Group from National Tsing Hua University, engaging in ICT projects in Kenya, and spent an academic year as an exchange student at the University of Padua in Italy. After graduation, she worked in the manufacturing sector in Mainland China, where she deepened her understanding of the Chinese market. Through her work experience, she not only discovered her passion for international trade but also observed the influence of international relations on business. This prompted her to come to Washington to further study international politics and global trade policies. She is delighted to join the WIIT Scholarship program and is eager to through the program to expand her knowledge in the realm of international trade.

Juliana Quattrocchi

I will be a Policy and Communications Fellow at MIT’s Blueprint Labs beginning in July 2024. I intend to pursue a PhD in economics after my fellowship concludes. The WIIT Trust scholarship I received supported me in my career path by providing connections with role models who have been successful in the field and financial support that enabled me to gain experience in economics research during my undergraduate education. As the trade environment continues to evolve, I’m very excited about the potential to work on trade related economics research along with more general labor workforce topics. 
 

Fall 2022 - 

Sharon Ordor

I graduated from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs with a Masters in Public Administration (concentration- Economic and Political Development). I have since secured a full time role with an Impact Investing startup located in New York City, called BlueMark. In my capacity as an Analyst, I will be required to institute accounting best practices to ensure the rigorous assurance of client’s impact claims.

This scholarship went towards my 1st semester at Columbia University. This lifted a huge financial burden off me and enabled me to focus solely on an intense course load including: Microeconomics and Quantitative Analysis. It also exposed me to the merits of International trade and the crucial overlaps between trade and economic development.

Whilst I am not directly immersed in the trade world, I remain vigilant regarding key nuances and trends. Notably, a key tenet of international trade, specifically within emerging economies, is to allot capital towards underserved and marginalized regions. I continue to explore avenues to further this primary goal and impact investing presents an opportunity to do this.

Spring 2022 - 

Charlotte Serage

After completing my undergraduate studies in international business at Royal Holloway, University of London, I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and have spent the last three years at World Trade Center Utah, the state’s international trade and investment promotion organization. In my most recent role as a program manager, I coordinated large-scale business trips, namely trade missions and trade shows, that meaningfully expanded opportunities for trade, sourcing, investment, and diplomacy between Utah and its key international markets. However, after years of zealous saving and meticulous planning, I am currently taking a gap year to travel abroad, study languages of interest, and just enjoy this precious life!

The WIIT scholarship has opened countless doors for me over the last two years. I have traveled to Washington, D.C. twice to meet with mentors in the trust who have helped me better understand the field of international business and what roles I could attain over my career. Through a WIIT connection, I was also nominated and selected for the European Commission’s EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Programme, in which I traveled to Brussels and Athens to represent the U.S.’ priorities regarding investment and innovation. I am incredibly grateful for each of the women and men who have welcomed, guided, and invested in me as part of these programs.

Regarding the world of trade, it is easy to be cynical about the economic, social, and political changes taking place today, both in the United States and abroad. In an election year, it is nearly impossible to process the sheer amount that is at stake in terms of our trade relationships with international partners. However, rather than judge, fear, or critique, I aim to be curious about the future of international trade, whatever it may be, and am excited to be a force for good within it.

Fall 2020 - 

Laura Spector

I am currently the Power Africa Country Manager for West Africa at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). USTDA supports the creation of U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. The agency funds project preparation and partnership building activities to support the development of sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries. In my role, I am responsible for business development, project preparation and evaluation, and supervision of USTDA energy sector activities in West Africa. I am also a member of the agency’s Energy Sector Team and Climate Change Working Group.

I received my Master of Public Policy with a focus on International Security and Economic Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. During my final year, I was awarded the WIIT Trust Scholarship, in recognition of my research on the African Growth and Opportunity Act. As part of the scholarship, I was able to participate in a panel of women who were expert in trade policy and specialized in African trade issues. Their insights were critical to informing my final Capstone research. The scholarship also provided me with my first year of WIIT membership and introduced me to a strong network of women in the sector. After graduate school, the network was essential to helping me identify potential job openings as well as providing mentorship support as I navigated the process of finding the perfect job for me. 

There are so many exciting opportunities in the trade world. I feel really lucky to have found a professional home at USTDA – an agency that I feel plays a critical role in both supporting U.S. companies as they seek to identify market opportunities abroad and shaping resilient and sustainable infrastructure around the world. 
 

Fall 2018 - 

Maya Weinberg

I am a dual degree master's student at the Pennsylvania State University enrolled in the Education, Development, and Community Engagement and Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society programs. I am interested in processes of inclusive and sustainable transitions away from extractive industries in rural communities. 

The Women in International Trade Scholarship was pivotal during my last year of undergraduate studies (2018/2019) to put time towards my undergraduate research thesis which examined the relationship between international trade and small-scale farming in southern Mexico. Since then, I have remained engaged with sustainable rural development in the US and overseas, working for educational, nonprofit, and research institutions. As a student currently engaged with rural communities that have historically relied on energy production as their economic base, I stay abreast of international energy trade policy to contextualize the experiences of communities I work with within global energy shifts in my research.   

While the World Trade Organization has not historically held direct influence over energy trade, with the increasing importance of coordination in reducing global CO2 outputs, pathways have opened in the last decade to use membership as a platform for encouraging productive energy competition.  As with any international trade agreement, there is the potential for harm and benefits across States and regions within them. I am interested to follow how efforts to reduce barriers to energy trade might incentivize additional renewable development in rural areas, and how community members are included (if at all) in decision-making processes and financial benefits from these industries.
 

Fall 2017 - 

Barbara Medrado

Since graduating law school in 2019, I have been working as an associate lawyer at King & Spalding’s International Trade team.  In this role, I represent clients in investigations involving antidumping, countervailing duties, and safeguard measures before the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the EU Commission, as well as in disputes at the U.S. Court of International Trade and in World Trade Organization.  I also help clients on trade policy issues.  Conducting legal research, preparing meticulous legal documents, representing clients in trade remedies litigation bring me great satisfaction. I also find immense fulfillment in providing strategic advice to clients, helping them navigate the complex landscape of international trade.  The dynamic and multidisciplinary nature of trade keeps me engaged and motivated.  

The WIIT Young Leader Scholarship, which I was fortunate to receive at the end of my first year of law school, has played a crucial role in my career. Firstly, it provided me with financial assistance, alleviating the burden of excessive student loans and allowing me to dedicate myself fully to my studies.  Secondly, the recognition and prestige associated with the scholarship have opened doors.  Being a recipient of this scholarship has served as a powerful credential, demonstrating my commitment to a career in international trade to professors and potential employers.  Lastly, following the organization events and established leaders broadened my understanding of the Washington, DC market for international trade.  Armed with this knowledge, I felt confident in making informed decisions regarding where I should practice law as I progressed through law school.

I am deeply grateful to WIIT for awarding me this scholarship, as it has been instrumental in shaping my career trajectory and helping me achieve my professional goals!
 

Spring 2015 - 

Elena Szajewsk

Elena Szajewski is the Director of Individual Giving and Development for Trickle Up (www.trickleup.org), a global nonprofit which partners with women in extreme poverty to build economic opportunity and drive inclusion. She is thrilled to have received the WIIT scholarship and become connected to the community, which supported her in earning her MPA - Development Practice from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. As somebody who is focused on the livelihoods of the poorest of the poor in developing countries, she knows that forces in the trade world and relevant legislation have a large impact on the lives of the women she is proud to serve.

If you have questions, please contact info@wiittrust.org.