Columbia Southern University and Women in Fire have named Monisha Dunkentell of Petersburg, Virginia, as the recipient of the 2020 Women in Fire Scholarship.
Dunkentell, a fire administration manager and assistant fire chaplain with Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services, is eager to gain an education so she can make a difference in her department and the fire service industry.
“As the country moves forward with more women in leadership, it is now that I take the initiative to hone in on my craft through education,” she said. “At the department I serve, there is not a single woman firefighter nor is there a woman serving in a leadership capacity. This scholarship will aid me in providing support in the workplace to ambitious women looking to lead and trail blaze their way through the fire industry.”
Dunkentell hopes to do just that with the scholarship to CSU, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in fire administration.
“I look forward to the opportunity to earn a degree that will equip me with the fundamentals and tools needed to lead my department into a progressive future,” Dunkentell added.
Women in Fire provides education, support and advocacy for fire service women. The network is linked and strengthened by its respected publications, which carry informative articles on current issues from promotion and career development to recruitment programs and reproductive safety policies.
CSU and Women in Fire have worked together for the past five years to offer scholarships to its members. Each scholarship covers up to 60 credit hours towards one online degree program. The scholarships are applied directly to the recipient’s tuition for up to three years or until the completion of the selected online degree program, whichever comes first.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
