Troy High & IAE Students Named Distinguished Young Women of 2022

The 64th Annual Distinguished Young Women of Michigan State Scholarship Program was digitally held on Saturday, July 24th. Troy High Senior Sharanya Swaminathan, the Distinguished Young Woman of Oakland Country, was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan 2022, and IAE senior Jayanti Gupta was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Troy. Participants were evaluated in areas of scholastics, physical fitness, performing arts talent, private interview, and self-expression question.

Sharanya will represent Michigan at the Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program in Mobile, Alabama next June where she will compete for additional college scholarships. She is also eligible for many college granted scholarships at various colleges around the country through the national scholarship program. “This year was another challenging year with Covid restrictions, it made it impossible to hold the scholarship program in person. Instead, participants submitted videos of their talent, fitness and self-expression segments and had private interviews through Zoom. Through it all, all participants showed incredible dedication in their pursuit of college scholarship opportunities” said State Co-Director Pat Hermatz, “We are excited to have Sharanya represent this incredible scholarship program at statewide functions throughout the year and at the nationals in Mobile, Alabama.”

Sharanya is entering her senior year at Troy High School and is the daughter of Padma Krishnamurthy and Swami Balasubramanian. She is active in the Model United Nations, Forensics Speech and Debate and International Youth Politics Forum. For her performing arts talent, Sharanya performed a classical Indian dance. Upon graduation she plans to attend the University of Michigan and study Business Administration and Public Policy.

Thirteen contestants from around the state of Michigan participated and were awarded a total of $3,500.00 in college scholarships. Sharanya Swaminathan was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan 2022 and was also selected as the Overall Scholastics, Interview, Talent and Self-Expression Scholarship Winner. Sharanya received $1,850.00 in college scholarships. Jayanti Gupta, the Distinguished Young Woman of Troy, was selected as the Brooklyn Kiwanis Be Your Best Self Community Service Essay Award Winner and received $250.00.

The Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program awards college scholarships to young women who have distinguished themselves at school and in their communities. Participants are high school juniors from around the state of Michigan who are evaluated in areas of scholastics, physical fitness, performing arts talent, private interview, and self-expression question. It is part of the Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program, which is the largest and oldest scholarship program for high school seniors in the country. Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Their mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, developing their self-confidence and participating in our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school. National sponsors include Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Mobile County, City of Mobile, Alabama Power Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Shoe Station, Gant Travel Management, Wellington and Bonnie Coffeen, Regions Financial Corporation, Jostens and Alabama Media Group.

The Distinguished Young Women of Michigan scholarship program is open to high school junior young women who live in Michigan. If you are interested in finding out more information on this transformative scholarship program, go to www.Distinguishedyw.org or email michigan@distinguishedyw.org for more information.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools & Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program