Feather in Her Cap

Winners of the Initiatives for Women awards at a reception July 21, 2016. (Photo by Michael Christakis)

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 1, 2016) — For Krista Bennett, getting a grant from UAlbany’s Initiatives For Women meant one simple thing: She would not have to drop out of college.

“I was running out of money for school, and this means I can finish my final year,” said Bennett, a returning student with two young children who is completing a dual major in anthropology and social work.

Bennett won the $1,250 Avon-IFW Life Impact Scholarship, which is awarded to non-traditional students who have transferred from two-year colleges. She completed her associate’s degree at SUNY Adirondack in 2015, returning to college after a six-year gap in her studies.

Bennett plans to work in the corrections field after graduation, helping former prisoners with re-entry into civilian life.

Her IFW award was one of 26 handed out on July 21. Ranging from $300 to $1,500, the grants support the publication of doctoral papers, travel for study-related seminars, tuition and exam fees, and other costs associated with education and career development.

Krista Bennett receives her Avon-IFW Life Impact Scholarship award from Vice President for Student Affairs Michael Christakis. (Photo by Lindsay Van Berkom )

IFW awards are open to any University-affiliated person or group supporting the advancement of women or women's concerns. Since the first round of awards in 1994, IFW has raised more than a million dollars to support the goals of women at the University at Albany. Nominations for next year’s awards are due March 3.

The full list of 2016 awards:

• The Louise C. and Earl M. Applegate Award: Xian Li, Ph.D. candidate, Educational Psychology and Methodology.

• The Barlow Family Award: Mari Christmas, Ph.D. student, English.

• The Michael A. Boots Award: Charlene Bradt, Master’s student, Public Health.

• The Christine E. Bose and Edna Acosta-Belen IFW Feminist Research Award: Emily Pain, Ph.D. candidate, Sociology.

• The Gloria R. DeSole Fund for Initiatives for Women: Sarah Patterson, Ph.D. student, History.

• The Ford Foundations Initiative for Women in Science Fellowships: Akshaya Chandrasekaren, Ph.D. student, Nanoscale Sciences; and Cailyn Cowan, Master’s student, Public Health.

• The Judy L. Genshaft Fund: Kaori Otera Chen, Master’s student, Liberal Studies.

• The Haynes-Davis Memorial Scholarship: Melissa Ertl, Ph.D. student, Counseling Psychology.

• The Karen R. Hitchock New Frontiers Fund: Lara Bowen, Ph.D. student, Social Welfare; Jessica Krupski, Ph.D. student, Education Administration and Policy Studies; Jennie Law, Ph.D. student, Rockefeller College; Angela Lui, Ph.D. student, Educational Psychology and Methodology; Smita Sharma, Ph.D. student, Informatics; Katherine Slye, Ph.D. student, Political Science; Kelly Ann Teufel, Ph.D. candidate, Educational and Counseling Psychology; and Deana Vitrano, Ph.D. student, Clinical Psychology.

• The Honoring Our Mothers Award: Samantha Fletcher, Ph.D. student, Social Welfare.

• The Initiatives for Women Endowment Award: Moriah Hampton, Ph.D. student, English; Naomi McPeters, undergraduate working on dual degree in English and History; and Haemi Won, Ph.D. student, Criminal Justice.

• The Shirley J. Jones Opportunity Award: Amani Edwards, Ph.D. student, Public Administration.

• The Bernice Mosbey Peebles ’39 Scholarship Award: Tiffany Charles, Master’s student, Special Education and Literacy.

• The Susan Van Horn-Shipherd ’64 Women in Science Scholarship: Giavana Buffa, Master’s student, Public Health.

• The Women in Technology Award: Daphne Jorgenson, Ph.D. student, Educational Theory and Practice.

• Avon-IFW Life Impact Scholarships: Krista Bennett, undergraduate working on dual major in Anthropology and Social Work.

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