CompTIA ChannelPro 2024 Cecilia Galvin Scholarship winner announced during annual ChannelCon in Atlanta
July 30 2024 - 3:00PM
CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology
(IT) industry and workforce, today announced that Kavya Venkatesan
from Old Bridge High School in Matawan, N.J., is the 2024 CompTIA
ChannelPro Cecilia Galvin Scholarship Winner.
The scholarship is named
in memory of Cecilia Galvin, executive editor at ChannelPro Network
and a passionate champion of women in tech who passed away in 2017.
The annual award helps a talented young woman with an interest in
technology launch an education in IT.
“Cecilia Galvin
championed women in the technology industry and was a true
inspiration to countless members of our dynamic community,” said MJ
Shoer, chief community officer at CompTIA. “Kavya Venkatesan
represents the best of the next generation of technology
professionals and is a wonderful tribute to Cecilia
Galvin.”
The $5,000 scholarship
winner this year finds inspiration in the intersection of computer
science, medicine, and social entrepreneurship. The scholarship can
be applied to a four-year college, trade school, or CompTIA
certifications.
“Cecilia Galvin was
instrumental in building the foundation and setting high standards
for ChannelPro’s magazine, website, and our events,” said Michael
Siggins, founder and publisher of The ChannelPro Network. “We are
grateful for this ongoing collaboration with CompTIA to continue to
honor the memory of our dear colleague and her passion for
advancing women in STEM careers.”
Venkatesan, who will be
attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Management
& Tech (M&T) Program, plans to pursue a dual degree from
The Wharton School and Penn School of Engineering & Applied
Sciences.
Venkatesan’s dedication
to change and service has driven her to give back to her community
through research involving artificial intelligence (AI), deep
learning, and health analytics.
Venkatesan’s list of
accomplishments and awards shine a spotlight on her commitment to
solving problems. At 14, inspired by her memories of Hurricane
Sandy, she developed NJxConnect, an app that targets low-income,
coastal residents in New Jersey and connects them with climate
preparedness resources. The initiative was adopted by the state’s
Research & Development Council.
At 15, Venkatesan became
the youngest AI researcher at the Moffitt Cancer Center, where she
interviewed patients, developed models, and led research studies.
At 16, she spearheaded national security research for the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA). Working closely with FAA pilots and
engineers to build an AI system to analyze flight paths of
rotorcrafts.
Venkatesan will be
honored and presented with the scholarship check at ChannelPro
DEFEND: East, scheduled for Aug. 7-8 in Iselin, N.J.
Previous recipients of
the CompTIA ChannelPro Cecilia Galvin Scholarship are Sarah Johnson
in 2018, Destiny Adams in 2019, Isabella Ledet in 2020, Maryann
Nwude in 2022 and Sirihaasa Nallamothu in 2023.
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About
CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association
(CompTIA) is the world’s leading information technology (IT)
certification and training body. CompTIA is a mission-driven
organization committed to unlocking the potential of every student,
career changer or professional seeking to begin or advance in a
technology career. Each year CompTIA, directly and through its
global network of partners, provides millions of people with
training, education and certification. To learn more
visit https://www.connect.comptia.org/
Media
Contact Roger
Hughlett rhughlett@comptia.org 202-503-3644
Roger Hughlett
CompTIA
571-289-5282
rhughlett@comptia.org