Four Local Women Honoured At ATHENA Scholarship Luncheon

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From left to right: Vanessa Montemurri, Aliyah King, Guest speaker Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO David Musyj, Hannah Lebedyk, Monica Romero

Four local young scholars were presented with ATHENA Scholarship Awards on Friday.

The ATHENA Scholarship Fund and the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the ATHENA Scholarship Luncheon Friday at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. Guest speaker for this year’s luncheon, David Musyj, President & CEO Windsor Regional Hospital, made a presentation entitled, “How To Lead An Amazing Team During Difficult Times – Embrace It!”

This year’s recipients of the ATHENA Scholarship Awards are Aliyah King, Hannah Lebedyk, Vanessa Montemurri, and Monica Romero.

Selection criteria for the scholarship program included community involvement, the potential for leadership, academic excellence and inspiring women to reach their full potential. The scholarships are valued at $5,000 each.

From the ATHENA Committee:

Aliyah King excels academically and is passionate about taking on various leadership and mentoring roles to help others in the community. She completed three years of a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Behaviour, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Windsor. In September 2022, she commenced her medical doctorate at the University of Ottawa. Aliyah advocates for the Bulimia Anorexia and Nervosa Association, Canadian Mental Health Association and fundraised for the SickKids Foundation. She has brought awareness to the importance of women in sports through a program called Girls in Motion and is a Kids Help Phone Crisis Responder. Aliyah has built her purpose in life around the importance of collaboration, diversity and well being and strives to bring these with her in her health care career. Dr Linda McKay, in whose memory this ATHENA scholarship is named, would be very proud of this outstanding student leader and female role model.

Hannah Lebedyk combines outstanding academic excellence and mentoring others with a strong desire to positively impact the community. She is currently in her final year of Graphic Design at St Clair College. Hannah is passionate about leadership, volunteerism, and encouraging young girls to succeed. From a young age she has volunteered in her church, school and community including Moments for Moms Childcare where she inspired girls to achieve their dreams. As a Music Tutor Volunteer at Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School, Hannah encouraged young girls to learn music. Since 2019 Hannah has been volunteering in the In-School Mentoring Program with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor Essex. Leadership for Hannah is standing up for others, taking action and making everyone around her feel seen, heard and loved. Upon her graduation, Hannah hopes to find a meaningful career where she can apply her technical and leadership skills while continuing to make a positive impact on our community.

Vanessa Montemurri excels academically while serving as a student leader and mentor. She completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biology (Great Distinction) at the University of Windsor in 2019. She is in her third year in the Doctor of Medicine program at Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, Windsor Campus. She is the recipient of numerous research and academic based research awards including the Toldo Foundation for Medical Excellence Award. In 2019 Vanessa became the Founder of the Women in STEM Seminar at the Schulich School of Medicine mentoring female undergraduate students. Her community involvement includes creating the Child Poverty Project to research and combat the high rate of child poverty in Windsor. Vanessa’s career goal is to impact the field of paediatrics by reducing child poverty rates and increasing youth success in our community. This scholarship is named in memory of Melissa Macor, daughter of Loris and Michelle Macor.

Monica Romero has maintained outstanding academic excellence while mentoring as a student leader in promoting inclusion within her community. She is in her final year at the University of Windsor in the Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work Program. Prior to law school, she received a Bachelor of Social Work from York University and a
Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Windsor. During her time at Windsor Law, Monica has served clients through her role as a Senior Caseworker at Community Legal Aid and the Family Law Project at Pro Bono Students Canada. Monica founded a chapter of Amnesty International at Windsor Law and continues to serve as President. Monica’s career goal is to advance access to justice for those who face oppression and societal barriers. Her academic excellence, passion and dedication to pursuing diversity and mentoring makes Monica the ideal recipient of this scholarship named in honour of Loretta Stoyka, LLB, a graduate of the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law.