In April, senior Natalie Simonian (second from left in the photo) attended the Watermark Conference for Women on a scholarship she received from the Armenian International Women’s Association – San Francisco (AIWA-SF). She was one of three students to receive the award.
At the conference, Simonian had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions by speakers including Emily Greener, co-founder of the organization I Am That Girl, who “taught me that acknowledging and ultimately embracing our inner vulnerabilities is key for allowing us to successfully pursue our own happiness,” she wrote in a blog post on AIWA-SF’s website.
She also attended a panel discussion featuring successful women in traditionally male-dominated fields and was inspired by their tales of perseverance. “Their remarkable life stories that culminated in unlikely success despite incredible adversity – both personal and patriarchal – inspired me to pursue my dreams and goals with more conviction and determination,” Simonian wrote.