2015 Award Recipients

Women in STEM: Pakou Lee, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Pakou Lee, who is entering her fourth year of a Biomedical Sciences bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, demonstrates outstanding potential in her chosen field of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Her choice of major is based on the diagnosis of her own childhood health condition by a sonographer.

Pakou-pic2015At UW–Milwaukee, Pakou has taken a leadership role as secretary of the Diagnostic Imaging Student Association; is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, open to only the top 15% of the class; and is a member of the Emerging Leaders Organization. She volunteers as a tutor for Our Next Generation; works with older adults facing Alzheimer’s and dementia as a volunteer with Timeslips at Saint John’s on the Lake; and is a tutor with the Burmese Immersion Project, introducing Burmese and Kirin people to American culture while helping teenagers with reading, writing and homework. As she shares in her application, “These volunteer opportunities allowed me to develop communication and active listening skills that I will utilize within my program and field.”

For her fourth and fifth year of study, Pakou has been accepted to the competitive UW Hospital and Clinics School of Diagnostic Medical Sonography in Madison, a hospital-based clinical training program offered in affiliation with UW–Milwaukee.

 

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business: Kosovka Spreco, Alverno College

Recipient of the District 6 JMK Women in Business Scholarship

Kosovka Spreco is a senior at Alverno College, majoring in Business and Management with minors in Professional Communications and Community Leadership and Development. She will earn her bachelor’s degree in May 2016; has a high interest in human resources, marketing, and nonprofit organization;
and plans to earn a master’s degree in the future. In addition to her high academic achievement, Kosovka has a “passion for working hard and helping people in need.”

Kosovka was selected as the 2015 Outstanding Student Leader for Alverno College. She serves as office assistant in Academic Affairs and in the Kosovka - 2015 JMKCareer Education Center, where she helps coordinate the “Dress to Impress for Less.” As president of the Alverno College Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), she has increased club membership and demonstrated role model leadership. The Metro Milwaukee SHRM awarded Kosovka a 2014 academic and service scholarship award.

Kosovka also participated in The Commons, an entrepreneurial program in Milwaukee; is president of the Alverno student group Mission Diversity; volunteers for her church, New Grananica Monastery, as a camp counselor and photographer; for two years has volunteered as Midwest coordinator for a humanitarian organization that sends humanitarian aid, supplies and clothing to countries in the Balkan region; and regularly serves as a volunteer ambassador for campus events.

 

Young Women in Public Affairs: Ananya Murali, Shorewood High School

Recipient of the District 6 and a Zonta International YWPA Award

Ananya-Intl2015pic

Ananya Murali is highly involved at Shorewood High School, where she is a senior. She serves as page editor and website manager of her school’s newspaper, with aspirations to become editor-in-chief. She is also a class representative for Student Council, vice president of Science Club, a member and treasurer of the Teen Advisory Board at Shorewood Public Library, president of Chess Club and co-founder of an after-school chess program for elementary school girls.

A Girl Scout member, Ananya is part of Youth Leadership Council and Focus Groups, where she helps plan Girl Scout events and develops ways to improve them. As her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she conducted an anti-bullying and leadership camp for 110 middle school girls. She taught them how to improve their attitudes toward themselves and others. She has tutored students in her community for the last six years aAnanya-MKE2015nd won the Presidential Gold Medal for her efforts.

As one of 12 Girl Scout delegates for the 59th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, she was part of a discussion on the Beijing Platform for Action.

With passions for music, math and science, and community service, Ananya plans to double major in music and a STEM field, while volunteering at the UN’s headquarters. Her goal is to work toward the Sustainable Development Goals, which she learned about at a summer International Youth Peace Conference.