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Cate Ralph ’22, a double major in economics and political science, will be conducting research on the impact social enterprises have on gender perceptions in India.

Ralph serves as president of SCU Into the Wild, which provides students with safe and accessible outdoor experiences. She is also the recipient of a 2021 Miller Center Fellowship, during which she consulted with Oorja Development Solutions (Oorja)––a social enterprise that finances and installs solar mini-grids in rural communities in Uttar Pradesh. Her work with Oorja focused on finding strategies to improve the company’s gender responsiveness to its customers and employees to help unlock greater interest from impact investors.

“I am fascinated by how social enterprises can be used to incite environmental and social change, both abroad and in the US,” said Ralph. “I hope to accelerate women’s empowerment to see a world where all women feel confident speaking up in male-dominated spaces, where women’s lives aren’t chosen for them, and where men are role models for gender equity.”

After her Fulbright in India, she plans to continue working with social enterprises that focus on sustainable development, and later go to graduate school to study economic development.

About the Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. For further information please visit https://us.fulbrightonline.org/.