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Meet our new scholars who are a force for good across the globe

Published

Introducing Ifeoluwa, Adam, Zelda, Katherine and Quyen.

Five exceptional students helping tackle some of the world’s most pressing social issues have been announced as Saïd Business School, University of Oxford’s newest Pershing Square Scholars.

Ifeoluwa Olokode, Adam Hegedus, Zelda Hollings, Katherine French and Quyen Tran have all been chosen as the 2022-2024 intake at Oxford Saïd.

The scholarship supports students undertaking the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme, which allows participants to combine a Master's degree from selected Oxford University departments with the one-year MBA at the school. Every year, up to six scholars are announced.

Commenting on the new scholars, Kathy Harvey, Associate Dean, MBA and Executive Degrees, said:

‘From Nigeria to New Zealand, with backgrounds spanning healthcare, education and sustainability, our new cohort is a diverse group with an impressive list of achievements to their names. The scholarship will help them to build expertise in their specialist fields and grow as world class business leaders. We very much look forward to welcoming them into our School community and the wider university.’

As part of the scholarship, scholars are given the opportunity for mentorship and networking within the Pershing Square Foundation's community and are also invited to take part in a 'trek' to New York hosted by the Pershing Square Foundation.

Our new Pershing Square scholars

Ifeoluwa Olokode

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From: Nigeria

Current / most recent role: Head of Public Health and Data Partnerships at Helium Health

Partnering subject: Master of International Health and Tropical Medicine

As a self-described ‘healthcare nerd and technology enthusiast’, Ifeoluwa spent the last four years helping grow some of Africa's most impactful healthtech start-ups and is excited to spend the next two years at Green Templeton College as a 1+1 MBA Student and Pershing Square Scholar.

Having been selected for the programme, Ifeoluwa said:

‘I feel incredibly honoured to be selected as a Pershing Square Scholar. This prestigious scholarship is an incredible validation of my ambitious goal to shift African health systems from being dependent on external entities to ones that are autonomous, resilient and equitable examples for the rest of the world. I am beyond grateful to be spending the next two years soaking in all the knowledge and experiences this remarkable institution has to offer!

As someone who believes that business principles can be used to solve development challenges, I'm looking forward to learning the fundamentals and being part of the Impact Lab. I'm particularly excited to be coming to a school that places an emphasis on Africa and its importance. I can't wait to get involved with the Oxford Africa Business Alliance and encounter the Africa-focused cases in class. Beyond course work, I'm looking forward to learning from my peers and being part of such an intentionally diverse business school that includes people of different backgrounds, nationalities, creeds and ages.’

Adam Hegedus

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From: Sydney

Current / most recent role: Co-Founder & Managing DirectorCo-Founder & Managing Director at Educating The Future

Partnering Subject: Master of Public Policy

As a specialist in management, technology and international development, Adam Co-Founded his own INGO, ‘Educating The Future’ which focuses on providing education in Timor-Leste. Adam’s ambition to close the gender gap was the focus of his thesis, which was centred on the gender disparity of women on Australian corporate boards.

Reflecting on how it feels to be a Pershing Square scholar, Adam said:

‘I am honoured to be awarded a Pershing Square Scholarship. This opportunity allows me to elevate my work in the international development sector by creating diverse coalitions, galvanising action with my peers and leading responsibly to better tackle the world's most complex cross-cutting challenges of our time including education access, climate change and gender equality.

I am most looking forward to the immersive year-long Social Impact Lab that runs alongside my intensive study program. The Lab will allow me to build a cohort of friends and leaders in various intersections of international development, and I can bring all my experience from leading ‘Educating The Future’.

Overall, I am incredibly excited to immerse myself into the University of Oxford ecosystem and being receptive to the opportunities that will present themselves along the way! I would like to thank everyone that has supported me throughout my journey. I also hope to bridge theory and practice through a number of electives, particularly impact investing and leadership in the humanities.’

Zelda Hollings

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From: New Zealand

Current / most recent role: Associate at McKinsey & Company

Partnering Subject: Master of Public Policy

Zelda’s focus is on the deployment of low emissions renewable electricity to improve access to equitable energy. Her passion for renewables has lead her to towards an international career. In the last five years, she has developed code to improve renewable energy across Australia, Fiji and Cambodia.

She hopes to use her time at Oxford to develop her ideas on the most effective method of developing public and private sector cooperation to deliver imperative action on climate change.

Reacting to receiving the scholarship, Zelda said:

‘I am delighted to join the Pershing Square network of people who are evaluating the most pressing issues of our time.

During my time at Oxford Saïd I hope to contribute to events at the Climate Oxford Business Network. To be part of a school that acknowledges the impetus to act is exactly aligned with my values. I am eager to learn from the other members of our class and the course, in particular, to reflect on what truly matters and the skills required to tackle those changes.

Outside the classroom I am looking forward to exploring another passion in my life in the drum and base music in the UK, or as I dub it ‘DJ doof, doof’!’

Katherine French

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From: United States

Current / most recent role: Project Management Analyst at ABT Associates

Partnering Subject: Master of Water Science, Policy and Management

With an educational background originally in education, language, and sociology, Kate made the transition to the world of water through her work with the Global Water Alliance. Alongside this group, Kate completed research on community-based arsenic removal units in West Bengal and developed a middle school social science curriculum that harnessed international water solutions as a lens for promoting global citizenship. With additional experience supporting USAID integrated health projects in West and Central Africa, Kate now plans to use her two years at Oxford to focus on sustainable water and sanitation systems in informal settlements, especially on the intersection of identity and access.

When asked how it felt to be a Pershing square scholar, Katherine said:

‘I am so honoured to have been selected for an Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship. Ever since having discovered the 1+1 program, I knew it was the program for me.

I can't wait to study alongside a diverse community of scholars who are committed to bettering our world and developing sustainable, long-term solutions. Furthermore, the different layers of community that are built at Oxford, from our colleges, to our partnering programs, to Saïd Business school itself, will be such a rich resource and fount of knowledge and discussion to further my own study and broaden my horizons.'

Quyen Tran

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From: Vietnam

Current / most recent role: Private Sector Lead - Respiratory & Gastrointestinal at AstraZeneca

Partnering Subject: Master in International Health and Tropical Medicine

A native of Vietnam, Quyen experienced first-hand inequity in healthcare access growing up in the Mekong Delta region. Her career with AstraZeneca has seen her furthering access to healthcare through the launch of new respiratory medicines and leading advocacy programmes to shape healthcare policy across the international region. Her work has led Vietnam MOH to issue a directive to adopt chronic respiratory disease management model for primary care hospitals nationwide.

While at Oxford, Quyen hopes to gain a holistic understanding of the interlinked pieces of healthcare challenges, and the multidisciplinary approach needed to leverage the partnership between the pharmaceutical industry and the public sector to solve these problems effectively in resource-limited contexts.

Commenting on the scholarship, Quyen said:

‘I am extremely honoured and elated to be selected as a Pershing Square Scholar, to join a network of talented and committed individuals across sectors and across the globe who are working to change the world for the better.

The scholarship means so much more to me than the means to enable my Oxford dream, it means I will be representing and living out my mission to tackle social issues, which I will carry on long into my career. For now, I can’t wait to meet my Oxford cohort in September and share my love of Vietnamese food with them.’

Candidates are chosen on account of their academic achievements, their leadership potential, their strong personal character, integrity and commitment. As well as their intention to focus on addressing world-scale social challenges in their career, and their ability to envision how to achieve scalable and sustainable solutions to these challenges.

Return from New York

The current cohort of Pershing Square scholars and alumni from the last two years have just returned from the first in-person ‘trek’ to New York in two years.

The most recent trek was taken by the 2019-21, 2020-22 and 2021-2023 cohorts and took place between 11-14 July 2022. It was the first in-person trek in two years owing to the pandemic.

Matthew Conisbee, MBA Programme Director accompanied the scholars, saying:

‘This trek was the result of many months of planning and hard work, and we are very grateful to the Pershing Square Foundation for hosting it. The scholars and alumni were thrilled to take part and motivated to make the most of everything they learned in New York. The organisations which we visited are doing incredible work, the trek was an inspiration.’

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