Scholarship Winner | Emily Zhang

The goal of the Jet Future Business Leaders Scholarship is to help one college student per semester with the cost of their education. Emily Zhang has been selected as this semester's winner of the $1,000 award.

Emily is a graduating high school senior that was one of 50 students worldwide admitted into the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at the University of Pennsylvania. When asked about what she enjoys about her studies she said "I am excited to be studying business, international studies, and Japanese through the Huntsman Program in International Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. This program will allow me to develop a global perspective in today's rapidly changing world economy and to increase my personal understanding of different business structures and cultural values globally."

Emily is the founder of Future For Her, a mentoring program for underserved middle school girls. She also serves as the creative director of her high school's newspaper. Outside of school, Emily has pursued her interests in languages by studying Japanese at the Japanese Language School of Philadelphia and also studied abroad in Spain and Argentina during her sophomore and junior summers respectively.

Prompt

How has the development of technology affected your decision (if at all) in your chosen study and education? How is the future landscape of technological advancement shaping your future career?

Emily's Essay

The development of technology has greatly impacted the way businesses operate and communicate with customers. With the rise of the internet, social media, and other technological advancements, businesses have access to a wider range of customers, increased data analysis and automation capabilities, and new ways of generating revenue. Understanding how to effectively leverage technology in business operations and strategies has become essential for success in today's economy. As technology continues to advance, there will be an increasing need for individuals who are able to effectively integrate technology into business operations and strategies. This includes understanding how to use technology to improve efficiency, gain competitive advantage, and create new revenue streams. Additionally, there will be an increasing need for individuals who can address the potential challenges and risks that come with the increasing use of technology in business, such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property. In addition to my formal studies, I have also taken the initiative to put my knowledge into practice through my work with Future For Her, an organization I founded in January of 2021. The organization's mission is to empower young girls in economically disadvantaged areas to develop their business knowledge and skills. Through weekly workshops in local middle schools and summer camps, we provide girls with fundamental business knowledge such as banking, real estate, and even cryptocurrency. We also feature guest speakers from the business world and encourage the girls to create their own business ideas. The Future For Her program incorporates technology as an integral part of teaching, as it helps us to communicate and collaborate with our partner schools, guest speakers and participants. We use digital platforms to conduct our workshops and camps, which allows us to reach a larger audience, including girls from rural and remote areas. Additionally, we provide training on digital tools such as video conferencing, digital marketing, and e-commerce platforms, which are essential skills for any business today. The impact of this organization has been significant, as we have seen a positive change in the confidence and knowledge of the young girls who have participated in our programs. Not only are they learning fundamental business knowledge, but also how to apply it using technology. The camps for next summer already have waiting lists, and we are currently in our second year of operations. The ability to effectively leverage technology in business operations and strategies, as well as the understanding of potential challenges and risks that come with the increasing use of technology in business, will be valuable skills that will help me navigate the ever-changing technological landscape and succeed in my future career in business. Additionally, my work with Future For Her has provided me with hands-on experience in putting my knowledge into practice and making a positive impact on the community by empowering young girls to develop their business knowledge and skills using technology.