Recipients

Warwick University

Major: Economics and Industrial Organization

Parent: Neil Cornish, Business Manager at TD SYNNEX – Bracknell UK 

Guy is a sophomore at Warwick University to study the economic basis of decision making from both a firm and consumer perspective.  “Academically, I have always been interested in real-world application. To learn something and then see it happen in every-day life is fascinating to me, and with that, my intrigue into economics and business behavior emerged. As an individual who enjoys problem solving, coming up with ways to improve the efficiency of this process is an exciting proposition,” Guy explained. 

Guy believes that a strong association is often made between leadership and confidence; he was able to develop these attributes early in life through sports as a football coach, team captain and referee.  These experiences gave him the opportunity to make team decisions that benefited the league as well as motivate individuals to work harder and shared that, “as a referee, I have a responsibility to both the players and my team of officials. My communication is constantly checked, needing to maintain a sense of authority to players and teamwork to my colleagues.” 

During his first year of university, he completed a policy brief on the economic problems of Plastic Pollution in Indonesia, ranking him first in his class.  “My fascination with economics will undoubtedly influence my long term aims. These include roles in Business Development and, further ahead, Chief Economic Adviser. My aspiration for knowledge and success will be a constant driving factor through the rest of my education and into my career. Across my academic years, I am constantly searching for ways to better myself for the future,” he said.

University of Florida

Major: Microbiology & Cell Science – Spanish

Parent:  Nicole Davis – Sales Representative at TD SYNNEX - Clearwater, FL - USA

Leah is attending the University of Florida to pursue dual degrees in Microbiology/Cell Science and in Spanish. Her short-term goal is to obtain these degrees to set her up long-term to attend medical school to pursue a career in medicine. She has consistently maintained a high GPA while being a full-time student, working part-time, and actively participating in various volunteer and student organizations on campus.

 “My passion for medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Primary Care specifically, is immense and evident through my pursuit of EMT licensure, volunteering as a first responder, and being actively involved in a pre-medical organization in the emergency medicine and primary care committees. The opportunity to be present for people in their darkest moments is challenging, yet satisfying to me, as I can utilize my empathy, patience, and medical knowledge to provide the best possible care to those I encounter,” she said.

 Leah is the Director of Community Health in the Gator Emergency Medical Response Unit, giving her the opportunity to leverage her passion for public service to grow her leadership skills. “I have established strong connections with the communities I have served, ensuring the messages I seek to deliver are received accurately. This is particularly important when discussing sensitive topics such as alcohol safety, where having an approachable demeanor and establishing rapport is crucial for having productive conversations with college students,” said Leah.  She remembers every patient she has met: “all have imparted a valuable lesson, be it related to medicine or life in general.”

Western University

Major: Civil Engineering /International Development

Parent: Branislav Molnar - Manager, SAP COE Build Information Technology at TD SYNNEX - Ontario Canada

Sarah is a student at Western University studying Civil Engineering with a focus on international development.  She describes herself as a highly driven individual with many short- and long-term goals on the horizon. “Complementing my academic career, I am eager to travel and to take advantage of international opportunities like the Engineers in Action Club, a global organization working to diminish rural and isolated poverty through the construction of pedestrian bridges, allowing communities to gain access to basic resources such as water, healthcare, education, and agriculture. I believe that immersing oneself in different cultures is an enriching experience that allows us to gain respect and understanding for other ways of life, learn skills that go beyond the classroom, and promote personal and professional growth,” said Sarah.

 A substantial part of the leadership skills Sarah has developed stem from the opportunity to have been a Captain of various hockey teams for 9 years where she learned to lead by example and motivate teammates through effective communication, collaboration, and a display of her own personal commitment, hard work, and responsibility.  Sarah believes that being a strong and confident leader also meant taking accountability for the mistakes made, being receptive to criticism and feedback, and actively finding ways to adapt.  “Another quality that I firmly attribute to being a well-rounded leader was the strong desire for self-improvement and willingness to learn from others; it was always important to take advice from coaches and listen to teammates regarding how to move forward and more effectively lead the team,” Sarah explained.

“As I continue to learn and to grow, these life lessons will drive my actions and decisions and contribute to a prosperous future,” she said.

William & Mary

Major: Data Science

Parent: John Phillips  – Senior Vice President, SMB Sales at TD SYNNEX – Greenville, SC - USA

Caroline is a studying data science at William & Mary located in Williamsburg, Virginia. An avid book reader, cat lover, and violinist with thirteen years of experience. She looks forward to attending William & Mary and plans to get involved in research with other students and faculty members. “Because my long-term career goal is to become a data scientist, I hope to gain a greater understanding of these topics as a Data Science major. I would also like to minor in either Mathematics or Music,” she said.

“My four years in the Riverside High School orchestra program have been critical for developing my skills as a leader. I learned how to communicate and listen to other’s ideas by leading violin sectionals. I would pick out the hard spots in the music that the violin section needed to work on and share my ideas for improvement. I came up with bowings and answered any questions my section members had on playing the passages. While I loved helping my friends with my opinions, my favorite part was hearing what they thought. I tried to foster open discussions with everyone by asking for suggestions on what we could do better, because making music together is a team effort,” she explained.

As Caroline moves into a new phase of her life, she will bring with her the leadership knowledge and experiences she acquired over the past four years. “There’s more to being a leader than telling everyone what to do. Leadership also requires emotional intelligence, open-mindedness, and a willingness to learn, all of which I will carry into my college life and beyond,” said Caroline.

Western University

Major: Management and Organizational Studies

Parent: Ramesh Selladurai -Technology Manager, Information Technology at TD SYNNEX - Ontario, Canada

Vaishnavi is a student at Western University majoring in Management and Organization Studies.  ‘As I began to discover my passion for the field of business in high school, I joined clubs such as FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and competed at national levels before becoming a trainer in my senior year,” she said. 

It was through this experience Vaishnavi was entrusted with the responsibility of leading and mentoring fellow club members, providing them with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence needed to excel in competitive events. Together with her peers, a new program focused on individuals with special needs was established. “We recognized a very apparent issue in our city, a lack of funding for students with special needs. Continuous financial cuts to our education system left several of these students with a compromised education, specifically in areas such as learning life skills. We successfully developed a program to strengthen these skills amongst students,” she explained.

Vaishnavi also explored various avenues beyond the confines of textbooks in high school and said, “I sought out opportunities to engage with my peers in enriching extracurricular activities, such as joining the Performing Arts Committee in the ninth grade, growing in position until I became the Director in my senior year.”   She is an enthusiast of Bharatanatyam, an Indian Classical dance form, and has pursued this art for over 13 years recently emerging as a graduate through an on-stage debut performance. Her commitment to this art form has cultivated not only her dancing skills but also her perseverance, self-discipline, and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage it represents.

She is eager to embark on the journey of acquiring new skills in preparation of becoming a corporate lawyer.

University of Guelph

Major: International Development Studies

Parent: Renee Ritchie – Manager, Product Management PM Retail at TD SYNNEX– Ontario, Canada

Zoe is a fourth-year university student at the University of Guelph working on a bachelor's degree in the field of International Development Studies, with an emphasis being the environment and sustainable development. “I decided to pursue International Development Studies because I wanted a career, where my skills and talents could actively be used to improve the lives of those who are unable to advocate for themselves. My current program of study offered me the ability to achieve this, while also furthering my interests in the field of environmental sciences,” she shared.

When it comes to leadership, Zoe is constantly improving these skills by participating in group activities such as cumulative research projects and said, “As a leader, I hope to be able to bring out the best in others by reassuring their ideas and guiding the topic at hand. I believe that strong, assertive leadership can be important, but that compassion and open-mindedness are the most effective ways to bring out the potential in those you lead.” For example, Zoe led a team of individuals in creating a polished and professional research project which concisely identified several barriers to communication in Sub-Saharan Africa and provide a list of potential, well-researched solutions. “At times it was difficult to ensure that all members were involved, especially when not all group members wanted to be engaged, but I continued to maintain a compassionate approach which motivated rather than forced others to contribute,” she explained.

“Ultimately, I hope my studies will guide me in finding solutions for a sustainable future that can support the development of disadvantaged populations worldwide,” Zoe said.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Major: Aeronautical Engineering

Parent: Lilik Rahayu - Collections Analyst at TD SYNNEX in Chantilly, VA - USA

Upon graduating from the Polytechnic Institute, Phillippe has a goal to work for Lockheed Martin within the Skunkworks program as an aerospace engineer.  To get there, he has created a detailed studying plan to be used with a support group he joined within the university to help further motivate and support one another along this journey.

Experience has been Phillippe’s greatest teacher, “I have spent the last six years crafting and perfecting my leadership skills through holding offices within multiple clubs at school along with holding high ranking positions within the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program.  I have served as a flight commander at Encampment, I was the stem facilitator for Stem Academy where I had the opportunity to learn the values of leadership, teamwork, and discipline,” he explained. This program allowed Phillippe to not only gain hands-on learning within a program run by his peers but also an opportunity to hold several leadership positions including flight sergeant, flight commander and operations officer.

He has also been honored with several awards including the Air Force Association Outstanding Cadet Award and selected to plan and run events such as the Leesburg Air Show and Green Bank Observatory Tour. “Civil Air Patrol oversees flight line security and event safety at the Leesburg Airshow, running it is one of the hardest jobs we have,” he said.

“As I enter university as an aerospace engineering major, I am excited to see what the future has in store knowing that I can conquer anything that comes my way,” Phillippe said.