The Andrea Scott International Graduate Scholarship Committee of IELTS USA is proud to announce the selection of Gulnaz Kordanova and Carlos Eduardo Reyna Oie as this year’s Scholarship awardees. IELTS USA is thrilled to contribute to their education goals at Harvard School of Education and New York University, respectively. Each recipient will receive a US$5000 scholarship to be used towards the completion of their graduate studies.
Both awardees have distinguished themselves through their dedication to cultivating educational opportunity in their communities. Ariel Foster, Executive Director of IELTS USA states: “We are honored to support the development and growth of these two outstanding international students. We're excited to see how Gulnaz and Eduardo continue to develop and expand their social and educational missions, both in their graduate programs here in the United States, and beyond.”
Profile: Gulnaz Kordanova
Gulnaz will be attending the Educational Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship graduate program at Harvard’s School of Education. Her short-term goal is “to create a sustainable NGO which would be a crucial part of the decision-making process within educational spheres, bridging between communities and policy-makers to support informed interventions that lead to educational equality.”
Long-term, Gulnaz aspires to support NGO leaders in collaborative conversations with governments and the private sector, to jointly overcome global education challenges. Her strong commitment to educational access and equity stems from her personal experience growing up in a disadvantaged area of south Kazakhstan and in the United States.
For Gulnaz, these experiences “... led to a deep desire to address and solve the problems of educational inequality that affects individual lives by restricting their potential, deeply impacting the quality of lives, and amplifying economic disparities by affecting opportunities to find jobs.” Since then, she has made a commitment to making a difference in her country and community by being proactive about learning systems that enable equitable educational opportunities.
Profile: Eduardo Reyna Oie
By completing his Master of Arts program in International Education at New York University, Eduardo, who hails from Peru, says that “As a gay man in a country where the law lacks any nation-wide legal protection for the LGBTIQA+ population, I plan to take advantage of my position as a professional to help promote safe spaces for diversity through kindness, respect and acknowledgement.”
Eduardo states that his experience as a gay humanitarian lawyer working with the International Committee of the Red Cross in a developing Andean Latin American nation has given him a distinct insight into the effects of the difficulties faced by LGBTIQA+ students in the region. He hopes to share his insight with fellow classmates at NYU. Eduardo sees education “... as a way to open minds to the richness and complexity of our world. I strive to further the impact I can have in my community.”
The Andrea Scott International Graduate Scholarship, awarded annually, was established in 2021 in memory of Andrea Scott, a dedicated international education colleague and Senior Product Champion at IELTS USA. Andrea was an innovative higher education professional serving for many years as the Director of Admissions at the Graduate School at the University of Minnesota. Outside of her work, Andrea dedicated her time to bringing together those impacted by the justice system for artistic collaboration, mutual learning, and growth through the Prison Creative Arts Project. This scholarship seeks to recognize graduate students who share Andrea’s inspiring commitment to international education, and her passion for globalization, creative arts, and equal rights initiatives. Gulnaz’s focus on educational access and equity as well as Eduardo’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion address key issues that Andrea Scott held dear in her personal and professional life.
The scholarship is awarded on an annual basis. Find out more information for prospective applicants and receiving organizations.