Scholarship awarded to emerging leader with a passion for international affairs

The scholarship, which aims to provide support to emerging leaders within the Not-for-Profit sector, has been awarded to Katrina Van De Ven, the Chief Operations Officer of Young Australians in International Affairs.

Ms Van De Ven said she was delighted to receive the scholarship which will support her participation in the University of Sydney Business School's number one ranking MBA Program.

“Traditionally, MBAs were considered the exclusive purview of the corporate sector. There is a growing appreciation of the role of MBA programs in driving effective leadership of not-for-profit organisations, however this view is still in its nascency. I am therefore grateful for Mr Anstice’s generous, forward-thinking investment in the development of not-for-profit leaders,” said Ms Van De Ven.

Young Australians in International Affairs is a Not-for-Profit think tank for early career foreign policy professionals which aims to foster the next generation of high calibre Australian leaders.

Ms Van De Ven manages the organisation's six state and territory branches, drives national recruitment and personnel management processes, and works in partnership with the CEO to expand the organisation's scope and optimise its governance structure.

“As a public and foreign policy professional and not-for-profit director, I view a MBA as the ideal opportunity to enhance my leadership knowledge and acumen, while also developing tangible organisational development and management skills,” said Ms Van De Ven.

"I am also looking forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively with my peers in the program's experiential learning environment."

The scholarship is awarded to an applicant with at least three years work experience in a management position. They must demonstrate leadership qualities, such as an ability to work within a team, to network and to develop sustainable initiatives.

It also aims to assist emerging leaders in community organisations to acquire world class business and management skills.

Ms Van De Ven is also a Government and International Affairs Advisor at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the NSW Director of the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) Young Professionals Network and a member of the Women in Nuclear Australia board.

“For me, the flexibility of the MBA Program at the University of Sydney Business School is key for me and will enable me to pursue my studies while continuing to build my professional experience,” said Ms Van De Ven

“With the program ranked number one in Australia and well regarded around the world, I am confident the University of Sydney MBA program will establish me as a strong candidate in a competitive, global job market, post-graduation,” concluded Ms Van De Ven.

David Anstice, the scholarship founder, has maintained a long-term interest in the Business School. A former Senior Executive of the American Pharmaceutical firm Merck, Mr Anstice is a Business School alumnus from the former Faculty of Economics, Adjunct Professor and Honorary Fellow of The University of Sydney.

“The purpose of this scholarship is very simple: I care about educational opportunity, and I wish to give back - in this case by providing educational support to someone who can make a difference in the not-for-profit sector,” said Mr Anstice when he increased the scholarship’s value in 2016.

“I have great respect for the fact that when I was young I received a very good education, supported by others, and of course a very important part of that was The University of Sydney,” said Mr Anstice.