Ivey’s MBA Class of 2025 Forté Fellowship recipients comprises a group of women who represent and embody impressive leadership and diversity, and are committed to advancing women in business. This year’s cohort represents a milestone for Ivey, boasting its largest group of recipients to date since becoming a Forté partner in 2017, with 28 women representing countries around the world, including Canada, China, India, Iran, and Nigeria.
The prestigious Forté Fellows program aims to launch women into fulfilling careers by providing access to business education, professional development, and a community of successful women. More than half of Ivey’s recipients will be attending an upcoming Leadership Conference for Fellows across the U.S. and Canada where they will have a chance to network and connect with recruiters and mentors. The support through the Forté program complements Ivey’s efforts to empower its MBA women.
“As a Forté partner school, we actively engage in promoting Ivey as a school that emulates the mission of Forté and strives to be a driving force of change to excel the presence of women in business leadership roles,” said Aimee Froude, Associate Director of MBA Recruiting and Admissions at Ivey.
Below, hear from five of this year’s recipients and learn what the honour means to them. In addition to these five women, Ivey’s Forté Fellows include: Sydney Atkinson, Paridhi Bajaj, Smiley Bhayee, Jessica Confalone, Anitha Elangovan, Mahya Eslami, Christina Gucciardi, Anshika Gupta, Aakriti Gupta, Sara Harper, Fei He, Sharon Imhansoloeva, Anetha Kanagavaratha, Aliya Nazeer, Imaiya Ravichandran, Lu (Luna) Song, Mehak Sood, Gabrielle Stadler, Melanie Starke, Nanma Unni, Evelyn Vanderhoof, Lily Wang, and Sophia Wong.
Vrinda Bector
"The Forté Fellowship was one of my biggest incentives to apply to Ivey and learn about the focus on women-centricity in its programming. The resources, access to networks, and specialized career-building events make up a very inspiring community to be part of. I’ve also had the opportunity to be guided by inspiring women and have paid it forward with younger women professionals in my past life. As someone who hopes to inspire and lead a growing community of women in a global ecosystem, Forté serves as a robust platform for me to elevate and hone my leadership skills.”
Adesola Okpeh
“The life-changing impact the Forté Fellowship continues to create in the lives of women from different walks of life is phenomenal. I am particularly amazed at the vast opportunities for personal development, networking, and career advancement that the Fellowship provides, which has been enabled by contributions from incredible women and organizations that continue to support the initiative, through their ideas and resources. It is a source of motivation to support other women to maximize their potential. The higher we rise, the greater the impact we can make. It is a call to intentionality, and it is a model worthy of emulation.”
Sarah Shen
“The Forté Fellowship empowers me to embrace leadership as a woman and inspires me to actively contribute to the establishment of a supportive environment for women's professional advancement. It encourages me to connect with women from diverse backgrounds and listen to their stories while seeing them uplift and support each other in their journey towards success.”
Nuria Teodorescu
"I am honoured and proud to have been named one of Ivey’s 2025 Forté Fellows. So much of the Ivey MBA experience is about creating meaningful connections, and the Forté Foundation unites a group of women who are all driven to advocate for and advance women in business. In speaking with other Forté Fellows, I am inspired by their diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives. I look forward to working together to build a community that not only advances our own professional growth but also shapes the network for future generations".
Lucy Zhou
"I am thrilled to be a part of the prestigious Forté Fellowship community. As a Forté Fellow, I am eager to work and connect with other outstanding women who represent diverse backgrounds and are committed to advancing women in business. I am confident that this opportunity will help me grow and develop both personally and professionally, and I look forward to celebrating and supporting each other's accomplishments in this community".
