PRESS RELEASE: Pershing Square Scholarship winners announced for the Oxford 1+1 MBA
Said Business School and The Pershing Square Foundation announce Scholarship winners for Oxford 1+1 MBA, recognising outstanding individuals determined to solve global social challenges
OXFORD, United Kingdom, Nov. 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via PRWEB – Oxford Saïd and The Pershing Square Foundation announce the 2015 Pershing Square Scholarship winners for the Oxford 1+1 MBA
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and The Pershing Square Foundation today announced the winners of the 2015 Pershing Square Scholarship for the Oxford 1+1 MBA. The scholarship recognises outstanding individuals who are determined to identify and implement scalable and sustainable solutions for world-scale social challenges. From working across Africa to provide clean water to communities, to completing research into drug therapies for cardiac disease, launching a software development company empowering small businesses in Dominica, and founding a healthcare clinic in Cameroon; this year’s recipients’ interests are diverse, and have tremendous global potential.
‘We are pleased to welcome this year’s winners to the Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholars Programme,’ said Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, and co-founder and trustee of The Pershing Square Foundation. ‘We are inspired by Ndakuna, Ashley, Davidson, and Bobojon who represent the finest and brightest young minds working to tackle challenging, global issues. We are both inspired by their ingenuity and dedication to their communities and excited to see what they will do in the future.’
The 2015-17 Pershing Square Scholars began the Oxford 1+1 MBA in September and are currently pursuing Master’s degrees in specialist subjects delivered by different departments across Oxford University. They will join the Oxford MBA in September 2016. The four Scholars are:
- Ndakuna Amidou was a Network Specialist at Vodafone, as well as the founder of a healthcare clinic in his native Cameroon. He is combining his interest in technology and healthcare by pursuing the MSc in Social Sciences of the Internet with the aim to find technological solutions to fight against counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
- Ashley Thomas, a mechanical engineer, has designed and delivered clean water technologies in seven countries across Africa. Her goal is create tangible on-the-ground solutions that will achieve large-scale impact by drastically improving water and sanitation services for the world’s poor. She is currently reading the MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management.
- Davidson Edwards is a software developer and entrepreneur, having founded the first software development company in Dominica. Davidson’s goal is to foster economic development throughout the Caribbean by creating innovative software tools for entrepreneurs, small businesses and governments. He is studying the MSc in Computer Science.
- Bobojon Nazarov is currently researching the mechanisms underlying cardiac disease with the aim of improving drug therapies through his DPhil in Systems Approaches to Biomedical Science at Oxford University. Prior to this, Bobojon worked in Financial Services firms and completed an MSc in Financial Economics followed by an MSc in Pharmacology. By completing the DPhil and the MBA, he is hoping to address the gap between biomedical discoveries occurring in labs and the products currently offered to consumers.
The unique combination of the Oxford 1+1 MBA allows students to gain deep knowledge and expertise in their specialist fields, as well as developing a comprehensive understanding of business, exceptional leadership skills, and practical experience.
Dana Brown, Director of the Oxford MBA, said, ‘Pershing Square Scholars add special value to our community at Oxford Saïd, bringing deep knowledge of their field of work and inspiring amongst their peers a passion for impact through business. The scholarship provides these students with a truly unique opportunity to study at one of the world’s most prestigious universities and to learn from some of the world’s most successful innovators within the Pershing Square network.’
The 2015-17 scholars join the five 2014-16 Pershing Square Scholars who have already completed their Master’s degree and are currently studying the MBA. Established in 2014, the Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship provides funding for tuition, college fees and a contribution towards living expenses for the MBA year of the 1+1 MBA. Pershing Square Scholars also benefit from opportunities for mentorship and networking with inspirational individuals and organisations that are part of the Pershing Square Foundation’s community, and an annual trek to New York to meet key individuals from the Foundation.
For further information, to connect with one of the scholars, or to speak with Dana Brown or the Pershing Square Foundation, please contact the press office:
Kate Richards, Press Officer, Saïd Business School
Mobile: +44 (0) 7711000521; Tel: +44 (0) 1865 288879
Email: kate.richards(at)sbs.ox.ac.uk
Lauren Condoluci, Pershing Square Foundation
Office: 212.843.8493
Email: LCondoluci(at)rubenstein.com
Notes to Editors
About Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford blends the best of new and old. We are a vibrant and innovative business school, but yet deeply embedded in an 800 year old world-class university. We create programmes and ideas that have global impact. We educate people for successful business careers, and as a community seek to tackle world-scale problems. We deliver cutting-edge programmes and ground-breaking research that transform individuals, organisations, business practice, and society. We seek to be a world-class business school community, embedded in a world-class University, tackling world-scale problems.
About The Pershing Square Foundation
The Pershing Square Foundation is a private family foundation, based in New York, founded in December 2006 by Karen and Bill Ackman. The Foundation has committed more than $350 million in grants and social investments to support exceptional leaders and innovative organizations that tackle important social issues and deliver scalable and sustainable impact. Bill is the CEO and portfolio manager of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. For more information visit: http://www.pershingsquare.wpengine.com.
ENDS