The 2018 recipient of the David Anstice MBA Scholarship for Community Leadership said it would allow her to “marry her passions for not-for-profit enterprise, international affairs and social impact”.
The scholarship, which aims to provide support to emerging leaders within the Not-for-Profit sector, was awarded to Young Australians in International Affairs Chief Operations Officer Katrina Van De Ven.
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,” she said.
“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.”
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,” Ms Van De Ven said.
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,” Ms Van De Ven said.
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,” Mr Anstice said.
