Celebrating the 2026 LAWIB Future Women Leaders Scholarship Winners

Every spring, our community gets to witness something special: young women stepping into their futures with confidence, purpose, and big plans. This year, for the very first time, Lake Area Women in Business had the honor of funding two $1,000 Future Women Leaders Scholarships for graduating seniors from the Forest Lake area.

Before we talk about how these scholarships came to be, we want to do what we do best. We want to celebrate the young women earning them.

Chandu Moua, Forest Lake Senior High School

Chandu is headed to St. Olaf College in Northfield this fall, where she will study Statistics and Data Science, a field that needs more brilliant women in it. And her talents do not stop at numbers. Chandu spends her time in both the orchestra and the boxing ring, a combination that tells you everything about her range, her discipline, and her willingness to take on a challenge.

Chandu, anyone who can master data, music, and boxing is unstoppable. We are so proud to stand behind you, and we cannot wait to see everything you accomplish at St. Olaf and beyond.

Sienna Vixayvong Storelee, Lakes International Language Academy

Sienna is headed across the ocean this fall to attend the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain, where she will study Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. Her confidence to take that leap was sparked early; at just 14, she spent time in Spain through LILA’s CASVI exchange program, an experience she calls the most life-changing of her time at LILA.

Sienna, chasing a dream across an ocean takes real bravery. It is our privilege to be a small part of your journey and we will be cheering for you all the way from Forest Lake to Madrid.

Two Schools, Two Paths, One Bright Future

One of our winners is crossing an ocean to Madrid; the other is heading down the road to Northfield. One is diving into marketing, the other into data science. Different schools, different dreams, the same unmistakable spark. Chandu and Sienna were each chosen because they demonstrate the leadership potential and commitment to community growth this scholarship exists to recognize, and each receives $1,000 toward her education.

About the Future Women Leaders Scholarship

The LAWIB Future Women Leaders Scholarship is awarded to a female student from the Forest Lake area who demonstrates leadership potential and a commitment to community growth. It is awarded through the Community Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization serving the Forest Lake area.

This is the very first year LAWIB has funded this scholarship, and we could not be more excited about it. The Foundation’s selection committee chooses the recipients, and they shared with us that they took extra care with these selections, knowing this scholarship was brand new. Chandu and Sienna are its first ever recipients, and we cannot imagine a better start.

The Women Who Made These Scholarships Possible

These scholarships did not come from a single check. They came from a community.

The dollars were raised through the silent auction at our annual LAWIB Extravaganza, and that auction only happens because of people who show up. Members donated their time.

Local businesses donated items and experiences. Volunteers worked behind the scenes for weeks. Community members came out, placed their bids, and turned a fun night into two scholarships for two deserving young women.

This was not just something our members did. It was something our entire community did together, and we are so grateful.

Why LAWIB Invests in Young Women

Our mission is built around women supporting women, in business and in life. This year, we are so excited to extend that support to young women who are just beginning their journeys. We want the young women in our community to know that we believe in them, out loud.

A Note to Sienna and Chandu

This part is just for you two. Every dollar of these scholarships was raised by women and neighbors who may have never met you but believe in you anyway. They donated, volunteered, and bid at an auction because they wanted a young woman in this community to know she is worth investing in. That young woman turned out to be each of you.

Wherever your paths lead, in Madrid or right here at home, you will always have a community of women in Forest Lake cheering you on. Congratulations! We are so proud of you!

Want to be part of next year’s scholarships?

• Join us at the 13th Annual LAWIB Extravaganza on Wednesday, October 22, 2026 at the Forest Lake American Legion. Every silent auction bid helps fund future scholarships.

• Donate an item or experience to the silent auction.

• Learn more about scholarships for Forest Lake area students at flacsf.org.

Written by Allie Libersky Director of Lake Area Women in Business. www.shinebrightsocialmn.com