September 18, 2006 Source: :
http://www.wlu.ca/news_update.php?grp_id=28&nws_id=2450&filter_type=update Associate dean of business receives female professional of the year award A lavish black tie and sari gala, a prestigious award, and the company of Prime Minister Stephen Harper – yet Dr. Mitali De, associate dean of business: academic programs and professor at Laurier School of Business and Economics (SBE), would much rather talk about her work than the recognition she received. "I am honoured to achieve this significant acknowledgement of my work," says De of her 2006 award for female professional of the year, given to her for high achievements in academia, business and volunteerism by the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC). But she is quick to shift attention away from both the award and the award gala itself, which was attended by prominent business leaders, humanitarians and academics from the Indo-Canadian community, as well as Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Instead, she chooses to focus on the work that led to her recognition and the greater good the award affords. "I hope this award will inspire other young south-Asian women. I look forward to motivating and supporting the next generation and helping them to set goals for themselves," says De. "Too often, young, south-Asian women see their parents, who emigrated from India, without the opportunity to work to their full potential, although they are qualified in their professions." It is this reality that fuels De’s passion and much of her volunteer efforts, such as her role as a board member and past president of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Alumni board of directors, a mentor through the Toronto Regional Employment Council and as an advisor through the Waterloo Region Immigration Employment Network (WRIEN). De also has a passion for language. "Learning another language always benefits people," says De, "especially in terms of global business." To that end, De volunteers to keep the Bengali language learning program alive; a program she initiated through the Waterloo Region District School Board. "I enjoy the different perspective that teaching at the elementary level provides," enthuses De, herself a speaker of four different languages: English, "the language of business;" Bengali, "my mother tongue from north eastern India;" Hindi, "India’s national language;" and Tamil "from my education in South India at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras." "I’d also like to learn French," she muses, "but I don’t have the time right now." While De hopes her award will inspire young women, her personal story of pursuing her own career goals is an inspiration in itself. After finishing her master’s degree in mathematics in India, De came to Canada with her husband and worked as a bank teller while he studied engineering. After the birth of their son, De began her master’s degree in systems engineering at the University of Waterloo, then gave birth to another son and completed her PhD. "This was at a time when there was not much support for females in the engineering field," explains De, "especially for those juggling studies with motherhood." De was one of only three women to receive a PhD in engineering in her graduating year. In her current position at Laurier’s SBE, which she has held since 1998, De develops and maintains academic programs that reflect the missions and goals of the school of business. As for De’s own goals? "I’ll continue to do what I enjoy doing," she says. "Not for the recognition, but for what I think will do some good."
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