Scholarship description
Women have made great strides in the pursuit of education, careers and leadership roles they were once denied. However, they still comprise a minority of leaders in the business world. As of December 2022, 32% of S&P 500 companies’ board seats are occupied by women, and just 7.4% of the companies' CEOs are women.
Because Zonta International believes in gender equality, the Jane M. Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship program helps women pursue undergraduate and master's degrees in business management and overcome gender barriers from the classroom to the boardroom. The Zonta Foundation for Women awarded the first Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships in 1998 to women pursuing degrees in business leading to a business management career. Jane M. Klausman was a member of the Zonta Club of Syracuse, New York, USA, and the 1990-1995 Zonta International Parliamentarian. During her career, Ms. Klausman was a professional secretary, parliamentarian and entrepreneur.
The program operates at the Zonta club, district/region and international levels. Zonta International offers 37 international scholarships of US$5,000. Each district/region may submit one applicant for consideration for an international scholarship. The five largest districts may submit a second applicant for a total of two applicants.
Since the program's inception, Zonta has awarded 713 scholarships, totaling more than US$1.8 million, to 559 women representing 70 countries.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE
Applications received by Zonta clubs: Contact local club for deadline (generally April-June)
Club recipient is selected and application is received by governor/region representative: 15 August or deadline determined by district/region
District/region applicant selected and application received by ZI Headquarters: 15 October
Official announcement of international recipients: December
The application process must start with a Zonta club. All application materials must be received at a Zonta club by the deadline printed on the application. If you downloaded the application from the Zonta International website, you must contact a Zonta club for deadline information. If the Zonta club contact information is not printed on the application, please locate the Zonta club nearest you by using the Club Locator, or email your name and contact information to Zonta International Headquarters at programs@zonta.org.
Applicants from geographic areas within a Zonta district/region where no clubs are located will be considered and are eligible to apply for the international scholarships via a Zonta district/region.
Applications for the 2023 Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship have closed.
Eligibility
Women of any age, pursuing a business program with major field of specialization in accounting, economics, finance, business management, business technology, information technology, marketing, operations management, human resources management, international business, or entrepreneurship at an accredited university/college/institute, who demonstrate outstanding potential in the field and are living or studying in a Zonta district/region, are eligible.
Online students are also eligible to apply if enrolled at an accredited university/college/institute.
Students must be enrolled in at least the second year of an undergraduate program through the final year of a master’s program at the time the application is submitted to the local Zonta club. Applicants must still be in school at the time the scholarship funds are disbursed and must not graduate before April 2024.
Previous district and international Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship recipients may not apply to renew the Scholarship for a second year.
Applicants for the 2023 Women in STEM Scholarship may not also apply for the 2023 Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship.
Club members and individuals with direct membership with Zonta International and employees of Zonta International and Zonta Foundation for Women, and their family members (ancestors, descendants, adoptees, siblings, nieces or cousins, and those of their spouse or co-habiting partner), are not eligible to apply for the scholarship.
Golden Z club members are eligible to apply.
Funding
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships are made possible by generous contributions from Zontians, Zonta clubs and friends of Zonta to the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Fund.
Scholars
2022 JMK Scholars | PDF
2022 JMK Scholars' Bios | PDF
International Recipients
Natasha Breward, Canada, District 1
Elise Mochizuki, United States, District 2
Mia Arnold, United States, District 3
Anne Ogaba, Nigeria, District 4
Madison Miller, United States, District 5
Heather Jost, United States, District 6
Sangya Yogi, Nepal, District 7
Madelyn Moore, United States, District 8
Lisa Gonzalez, United States and Venezuela, District 9
Nivedhitha Balaji, India, District 10
Saeeda Ruffin-Daniels, United States, District 11
Colleen Kennedy, United States, District 12
Camilla Poulsen, Denmark, District 13
Rosanna Pottmann, Austria, District 14
Anna Recknagel, United States, District 15
Lauren Thomas, New Zealand, District 16
Thammaporn Phokhakul, Thailand, District 17
Zhaoyang Xu, People's Republic of China, District 17
Cathia ltoua-Bienayme, Republic of the Congo, District 18
Maricarmen Sanchez, Chile, Region South America
Jennifer Holmberg, Finland, District 20
Olivia Jacobsson, Sweden, District 21
Sandra Gasser, Italy, District 21
Clare Isaac, Australia, District 22
Amy Zahra, Australia, District 23
Lucy Fang, Australia, District 24
Swikritee Neupane, Nepal, District 25
Aki Higuchi, Japan, District 26
Kerstin Arndt, Germany, District 27
Anneleen Huyghe, Belgium, District 27
Ariella Inglese, Italy, District 28
Brittany Powell, United States, District 29
Taiwo Shotunde, Nigeria, District 29
Marie Fuchs, Germany, District 30
Emiliya Nikolova, Bulgaria, District 30
Shih Ting Hung, Taiwan, District 31
SeonYun Moon, South Korea, District 32
Questions
If you have any questions, please email programs@zonta.org.