Groningen FEB student Jiajing Lou wins world-wide 'Women in Business' scholarship

Jiajing Lou, honours student of International Economics and Business at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of the University of Groningen, has been awarded the 'Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Award' by Zonta International. In addition to this European prize of 1,000 euro, she is one of the 12 world-wide winners of an extra scholarship of 5,000 US dollars. The jury chose Lou because of her excellent study results, her efforts as a volunteer and her extracurricular activities. The student will receive the award at FEB in Groningen on Friday 12 February at 3 pm.

The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business scholarships are awarded every year by Zonta International, a world-wide service organization of women with an independent or management position in their trade, business or organization. Zonta stimulates active participation of women in society and business. [www.zonta.org]

Surprise

Jiajing (21) is in her last Bachelor’s year of the specialization International Economics and Business (IE&B) in Groningen and follows the double degree programme of FEB and Fudan University in Shanghai, China. "I saw the possibility to apply and thought I might have a chance," she says, "This is because of my interest in business and the fact that I once ended top 5 as a freshman in an entrepreneurs competition." It was only later that she saw that there were very few scholarships available, which made the award a surprise: "I was really excited, and immediately called my friends and my former teacher in China. And of course I went to Mr. Beppo van Leeuwen of FEB, who wrote my recommendation letter."

Jiajing does not regret her choice for the IE&B Bachelor’s in Groningen: "The programme helped me a lot; I was taught to be critical of the things I learned, and my research abilities have really improved. Furthermore the small-sized classes guarantee a large amount of interaction with the teachers." A fixed part of the IE&B programme is an exchange; in this academic year, Jiajing studied a semester at the Australian National University in Canberra and is now back in Groningen.

"A job in consultancy"

"I plan to continue with my MSc in the Netherlands as well, so that's where the Klausman scholarships will probably go to. I really like living in the Netherlands. Because of the friendly people and helpful fellow students and flat mates, it didn't take me long to get used to my new home. After graduating I would like a job in consultancy, preferably to advise small and medium-sized enterprises on their competitiveness. My plan is to get some work experience in the Netherlands first, to enhance my chances for a job in China, where I will return to eventually."

European and world-wide prize

One of the people involved in awarding the European prize of 1000 euro is Petra Rudolf, professor in Experimental Solid State Physics in Groningen. She is a regional representative of Zonta’s Klausman scholarship programme. “The district jury is very impressed with Jiajing’s achievements”, the professor says. “After the first two years of her studies in Fudan, she was ranked in the top five percent. Jiajing also finds time for volunteer and extracurricular activities. She was Vice Head of the Fudan Economic Faculty Student Association and the Fudan Student Union, a reporter for the University newspaper and a member of the Fudan Young Economic Association and the Management and Accounting Association. She has volunteered as a teacher at Sun Home, a charity for children with learning disabilities, the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games and the Lu Xun Museum.”

Jiajing thus became the winner among all candidates from Russia, Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain and the Netherlands. Rudolf: “We then nominated her for the world-wide selection as well, in which she became 1 of the 12 winners of a scholarship of another 5000 US dollars.”

Programme award ceremony Jane M. Klausman on 12 February

Friday 12 February 2010, 15:00-15:30, Plaza WSN building, Nettelbosje 2, Groningen

(language of communication English)

• President of the Groningen department of Zonta, Ms Willeke Christiaans, talks about Zonta.
• European representative of the Jane M. Klausman awards, Prof dr Petra Rudolf, explains the selection procedure.
• Dean of FEB, Prof dr Elmer Sterken, talks about Jiajing Lou and the double degree programme of FEB and Fudan University.
• European District Governor Ms Brigitte Siller presents the certificate and cheques to Jiajing.

Jane Klausman

With the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship programme, Zonta International aims to enhance the status of women in management positions in business world-wide. Since 1998, Zonta has been awarding 12 scholarships per year to promising female students in business and management programmes. Jane M. Klausman was a member of the Zonta Club of Syracuse, New York, and Zonta International Parliamentarian from 1990 to 1995. She experienced the challenges young women face in a management career and left an inheritance to be used for scholarships for young women.