Ashley Shuyler
Encyclopedia
Ashley Shuyler is the founder of AfricAid
, a nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in Africa
in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities. Since its inception in 2001, AfricAid has supported thousands of Tanzanian students in their educational and professional goals.
Shuyler was born in 1985 and grew up in Houston, Texas
and Golden, Colorado
. Her parents are Nina and Richard Shuyler.
in 1996, Shuyler learned that only a small fraction of girls in Tanzania are able to obtain an education beyond the primary school level. In response to that experience, she founded AfricAid. As a student at Colorado Academy
in Denver at the time, Shuyler came to believe that education is the most crucial component of any long-term solution to the challenges facing Africa, particularly in the areas of poverty, health and inequality. After high school, Shuyler attended Harvard University
, where she continued to explore issues of international development in the third world. During her time there, she conducted research in several Maasai communities and served as a teacher in rural regions of Tanzania, India
, and China
. Shuyler's thesis at Harvard provided an assessment of Tanzania’s system of national examinations. She graduated from Harvard in 2008 and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society
at that time. In 2011, Shuyler joined the Stanford Graduate School of Business
.
AfricAid
AfricAid is a 501 nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in Africa in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities...
, a nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities. Since its inception in 2001, AfricAid has supported thousands of Tanzanian students in their educational and professional goals.
Shuyler was born in 1985 and grew up in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
. Her parents are Nina and Richard Shuyler.
Education
During a trip to TanzaniaTanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
in 1996, Shuyler learned that only a small fraction of girls in Tanzania are able to obtain an education beyond the primary school level. In response to that experience, she founded AfricAid. As a student at Colorado Academy
Colorado Academy
Colorado Academy is an independent nonsectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade...
in Denver at the time, Shuyler came to believe that education is the most crucial component of any long-term solution to the challenges facing Africa, particularly in the areas of poverty, health and inequality. After high school, Shuyler attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where she continued to explore issues of international development in the third world. During her time there, she conducted research in several Maasai communities and served as a teacher in rural regions of Tanzania, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Shuyler's thesis at Harvard provided an assessment of Tanzania’s system of national examinations. She graduated from Harvard in 2008 and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
at that time. In 2011, Shuyler joined the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
.
AfricAid
Shuyler served the Executive Director of AfricAid until 2011, and is currently a member of its Board of Directors. During her time as Executive Director, she returned to Tanzania for several months every year to work with AfricAid's partners and build its programs. In 2010, Shuyler launched the Kisa Project, a new AfricAid initiative that supports girls' scholarships and leadership training in Africa. While in the U.S., Shuyler has worked to grow AfricAid's reach through events, presentations, and film screenings of Somebody Like Me, a documentary film she produced about life in a rural Maasai village. In 2007, KidHaven Press published a biography about Shuyler by Rachel Lynette for its Young Heroes series.Awards
- 2001 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
- 2002 Young Americans Center for Financial Education Young Entrepreneur Award
- 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community Award: National Top Ten Volunteer
- 2005 Winner of the Mill-Taylor Prize for the Best Paper in Social Studies at Harvard
- 2006 Honorary Member of Evergreen Rotary Club
- 2008 Phi Beta Kappa Society at Harvard
- 2009 Selected as one of five honorees at Red Rocks Journey of Hope concert
- 2010 Keynote speaker at the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Youth Assembly
- 2010 Recipient of Denver Business Journal “Forty Under 40” award
- 2011 Recipient of Linda Childears Free Enterprise Award
External links
- Official Website of AfricAid
- Forty under 40 winner: Ashley Shuyler
- Continents apart, women collaborate on book - The Denver Post
- Shuyler featured on The Sharon Osbourne Show – video
- Shuyler featured on Starz Encore's WAM! Channel - video
- Shuyler featured on Channel One's "Power of One" Segment - video
- 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community Award: National Top Ten Volunteer
- etown e-chievement award
- Colorado Girl Makes a Difference for African children
- Colorado Native Raises Money For Girls In Africa – article and video
- African Trip Sowed Seeds for Humanitarian Mission
- Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes Award Winner
- Power of a child touches a world - The Denver Post