Progress Announces First Recipient of the Progress Software Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India
New Delhi: Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS), the trusted provider of infrastructure software, announced today the first recipient of the Progress Software Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India. The scholarship is part of the larger Women in STEM scholarship series, supporting women’s professional development in computer science, software engineering IT and/or computer information systems in Bulgaria, India and the United States.
The Progress Software Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM is a four‐year renewable scholarship to cover tuition, fees and educational expenses for Indian citizens who identify as women that want to study computer science, software engineering, IT and/or computer information systems. Progress is dedicated to proactively supporting the communities in which its employees live and work and to emphasizing inclusivity in its business practices. With an employee population in India of nearly 400, establishing a STEM scholarship for Women was a priority for the organization.
Akhila Karanam, a second-year student at Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India, is the first recipient of the scholarship. She was selected from a pool of highly qualified candidates, based on her outstanding academic achievements and personal qualities that exemplify courage, conscientiousness, resilience and excellence.
“I am deeply honored to be the first to receive this scholarship. It will help me pursue my studies, develop my computer science and engineering skills, and to work towards my dream of starting my own business,” said Karanam. “Progress is clearly demonstrating that it cares about promoting women in the field of technology. I hope to see more companies like Progress taking the initiative to support young talent in the future. Computer science is a great field for professional development, and I will do my best to take full advantage of the opportunity Progress has presented me.”
To be selected for the Progress Software Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM, candidates must be Indian citizens that identify as female. Scholarship applicants must major in, or plan to major in, computer science, software engineering, IT and/or computer information systems at an accredited university or college. In addition, they must clearly show excellence and dedication to their studies and demonstrate personal attributes that exemplify courage, conscientiousness, resilience and excellence.
“Akanksha is a Sanskrit word which means seeking progress by overcoming challenges with grit. With her perseverance and passion for technology, Akhila exemplifies the true spirit of Akanksha,” said Progress CEO Yogesh Gupta. “We believe that the future belongs to those organizations that best embrace diverse and new ways of thinking. Encouraging and supporting women in our communities to pursue STEM education is our way of paving that path to success, and we’re thrilled to expand our program to India. We congratulate Akhila and look forward to celebrating her successes to come.”
The Women in STEM scholarship series is part of the Progress for Tomorrow Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. To learn more click here or explore career opportunities with Progress at www.progress.com/careers.