Cassandra Siwy, a 2020 graduate of Niagara University’s accounting program and current student in its master of science in finance program, was awarded the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship from Zonta Club International District 4 in recognition of her academic accomplishments and dedication to community service.
The Orchard Park, N.Y., native, who works in the graduate studies office at Niagara, completed finance and audit internships with a number of organizations during her undergraduate studies, including AZLA P.C., Citigroup, the Buffalo Bills, and Deloitte. She also served in several leadership roles, including president of Beta Alpha Psi and vice president of Sigma Alpha Sigma, and is a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma and Beta Gamma Sigma. The summa cum laude graduate is the recipient of the John T. Kennedy Memorial Award, the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Association Scholarship, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants Award of Honor, and the Everett W. Ockerman Award for academic excellence.
Inspired by Niagara’s Vincentian tradition, Siwy has prepared tax returns for low-income residents of Niagara Falls through Niagara’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program; volunteered with the Cataract City Classic Basketball Tournament and in the foster care and adoption department at Catholic Charities of Buffalo; assisted in the selection of recipients of the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Association Awards; raised awareness for pediatric cancer as a member of the Love Your Melon Campus Crew; welcomed new Niagarans as a New Student Orientation assistant; and served as vice president of both the women’s club soccer and women’s club basketball teams.
After graduating with her master’s degree in finance, Siwy plans to become a certified public accountant and begin a full-time position as an auditor for Deloitte. The scholarship, she says, will help her achieve this goal.
“I have always aspired to be a strong, independent, and successful woman in my personal and professional life,” she said. “Winning this scholarship reassures me that my hard work has not gone unnoticed and will help prepare me for my future career in the business world.”
The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship program was established in 1998 to encourage undergraduate women to enter careers and seek leadership positions in business. The program ultimately seeks to influence business decisions that positively affect women by increasing the number of women in executive positions in the field of business management. This program was established from a bequest by Jane M. Klausman, a member of the Zonta Club of Syracuse, N.Y., and the 1990-1995 Zonta International Parliamentarian.
Since the inception of the program in 1998, Zonta has awarded 564 scholarships totaling more than $1.3 million, to 428 women representing 57 countries.