W2W
EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIP
WINNERS

Indietro

2021 was the inaugural launch of the Blizzard Tecnica Women2Women Scholarship Program and are proud to say we received over 300 applications!

From North American to Europe, it was inspiring to read the stories of women looking to advance their education in snowsports, and we’re honored to announce 18 winners were selected. Over $15,000 in scholarships and Blizzard Tecnica equipment have been awarded to some pretty incredible humans.
Their stories inspired us.
We hope they inspire you.

“By helping women advance their education in snowsports, we’re not only helping them as individuals, but all of the girls and women they affect through their work. It’s imperative to bringing more women into skiing and empowering them to use their voice on and off the hill.”

Leslie Baker-Brown
Blizzard Tecnica W2W Program Director

Morgan McGlashon
Morgan
McGlashon
The Tetons, WY USA

PROGRAM:

 AMGA Ski Guide

GOALS:

"If you are a mountain guide, your life will be complicated, but you will be free”

I SKI BECAUSE:

I ski because it is everything to me. It is the glue that holds my life together, the north star that continues to give me purpose and direction. Skiing is the tool that I can share with others. It is the skill that I have that I can use to connect others to something that builds self-confidence, connects us to our surroundings and environment, and connects us to each other.

I WANT TO:

I want to share my enthusiasm and passion for skiing and wandering in the mountains with others. I hope to take more women into the mountains and give them the confidence to pursue their own goals. I feel strongly that learning from and surrounding ourselves with women has a way of lifting each other up to be the most passionate, emboldened, confident version of ourselves, which makes us stronger skiers, people and mountain guides.
Instagram @morgankelsey
Viktoria
Walch
Vorarlberg, Austria

PROGRAM:

 Woman Progression Days Lorraine Huber

NOTABLE:

For me it is incredibly important because I have fun and it makes me happy.... and above all I now have the time and I want to use it! I have already been on the road with Angelika Kauffmann twice and she has inspired me again and I still want to learn so much.

I SKI BECAUSE:

For me it is complete freedom.... You forget all your worries, collect new energies and find myself again

I WANT TO:

I want to ride off piste with more confidence because I don't feel I have enough experience ... and when you ride off the beaten track you have a great responsibility towards yourself and the others and you have to be on your toes .... that's why I want to be there !!
Instagram @vikiwalch
 Viktoria Walch
Allison Kozar
Allison
Kozar
Stowe, VT USA

PROGRAM:

 Pedorthic Certificate Program

NOTABLE:

Seven years of fitting ski boots (and running shoes) helped nurture a deep passion for feet and keeping customers comfortable in performance footwear.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Skiing is my person, passion, my Zen, why I breathe, why I get up every morning, and why I work.

I WANT TO:

Strengthen my understanding of foot anatomy to make me a better boot fitter. And we need more female boot fitters in this world!
Instagram @abrewkozar
Lauren
Earle
Sunshine Village, CANADA

PROGRAM:

 CSIA Level 3 Exam

NOTABLE:

I am acutely aware of lack of women certified as high-end ski instructors. The CSIA has four levels of certification. As of 2019, at level 1 50% of candidates receiving their certification are women. At level 3 only 7% percent are female. To become a certified level 3 CSIA instructor would allow me to become a mentor to generations of new female ski instructors and skiers and to empower them within the sport, something I believe is incredibly important.

I SKI BECAUSE:

It makes me feel empowered. Enduring the overwhelming power of nature and stability of the mountains around me whilst harnessing the forces built by skiing makes me feel incredibly strong.

I WANT TO:

Provide improved ski instruction to my clients and to more proficiently share my passion for snow sports. My extended career objective, is to become a CSIA course conductor. This would allow me to advance and inspire new generations of ski instructors and skiers in an even more expansive capacity.
Instagram @laurengwenearle
Kailey
McKenna
Grand Teton National Park, WY USA

PROGRAM:

 AMGA Ski Guide

NOTABLE:

I have been instructing avalanche (AIAIRE) courses for SheJumps for the last 4 years and am a coach for the Jackson Hole Ski Club Backcountry program.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Skiing provides a place where I truly feel able to be myself, push myself and share my love of the mountains with others.

I WANT TO:

Give back to the ski community by giving mentorship and instruction to younger backcountry enthusiasts as well as aspiring female guides. I also want to create greater representation of women and marginalized communities in the backcountry skiing industry.
Instagram @Maileykckenna
Susanne
Viehweger
Schliersee, Bayer Germany

PROGRAM:

 Trainer C Skibergsteigen (DAV Ausbildung)

NOTABLE:

I am an ambassador for "Sporting Women" (https://www.sporting-women.de/) because I support the vision of the girls campaign 100%.

I SKI BECAUSE:

For me, skiing means enjoying life, body awareness, physics, experiencing nature, feeling the element of snow and having fun with good sports equipment!

I AM:

Already working in the outdoor sector, as a hiking guide, as trail running guide and give ski.
Instagram @susiviehweger
Susanne Viehweger
Hannah McGowan
Hannah
McGowan
Taos Ski Valley, NM USA

PROGRAM:

 AIARE Instructor Training Course

NOTABLE:

Currently I work as a backcountry ski guide and I am one of only a few female ski patrollers at Taos Ski Valley.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Skiing is the ultimate mountain tool. I ski because it allows me to access the mountains in a way that stimulates me intellectually- through snow science and decision making- while also challenging me physically.

I WANT TO:

I want to provide a female presence while teaching avalanche courses to aspiring backcountry skiers. I know that I am more inclined to ask questions, volunteer answers, and absorb information when I am learning from a woman. I hope our industry may begin to shift to a more balanced gender ratio.
Instagram @stillbrokestillstoked
Rosie
Langford
Seymour, CANADA

PROGRAM:

 CSGA Level 1 (with pre-requisites: CSIA Level 1, 80 hour wilderness first aid)

NOTABLE:

I have sought opportunities to combine my recreational pursuits, personal passion, academic interest, and career drive towards a life inspired by the outdoors. This approach led to my development as an avalanche educator; to my work, research, and education with the Simon Fraser University Avalanche Research Program; and, to my role as President of Mountain Mentors, a non-profit mentorship program for women in backcountry skiing and rock climbing.

I SKI BECAUSE:

My love for skiing now, in large part, stems from an understanding of it being a vehicle for designing outdoors spaces where women, LGBTQI2-S, POC, and Indigenous Peoples belong. The peace, joy, delight, and freedom that are the reasons I ski are inextricably linked from my work in making it accessible to others.

I WANT TO:

Further my efforts and guide actions towards creating more inclusive, representative, just, and equitable winter outdoors spaces. I have a huge amount of energy for this work and a strong drive to honour the legacy of women in the industry who have worked for female inclusion while acknowledging that female representation alone is not enough to create outdoors spaces where everybody belongs and feels safe.
Instagram @rosalangford
Sam Aaronson
Sam
Aaronson
Vail, CO USA

PROGRAM:

 AIARE PRO 1

NOTABLE:

I am a paramedic ski patroller as well as a search and rescue paramedic, so in this aspect of my life skiing is a tool.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Once I step out of the professional realm and into my personal life, skiing becomes an escape. The mountains are a friend, a playground, a shoulder to cry on, and an outlet for the chaos of reality. The mountains are also a place of inclusivity and bonding, unifying those who embrace them.

I WANT TO:

…combine my roles as a paramedic, a ski patroller, and a search and rescue paramedic to construct a curriculum for those who share these skills and interests. I want to to explore the role of a paramedic as it pertains to snow science. Avymedic Science, as I like to call it.
Instagram @samaaronson
Kenzie
Fuqua
The backcountry, Stowe, VT USA

PROGRAM:

 AIARE Level 1

NOTABLE:

I lead 'backcountry' tours for local non-profits (The Catamount Trail Association and The Friends of Bolton Backcountry) and the outdoor store I work at as a manager (The Outdoor Gear Exchange). I also am on the board of the local non-profit - Waterbury Area Trail Alliance.

I SKI BECAUSE:

To me, skiing is much more than just an activity or a sport, it represents the hardship, the goal-seeking, and the joy that are present in other facets of life. Skiing provides a sense of community, and a stress relief.

I WANT TO:

Become a more informed ambassador for skiing. Having this formal instruction will allow me to not only be safer in the backcountry, but to aid in disseminating this information to those who can't afford said training.
Instagram @kenziefuqua
Kenzie Fuqua
Claire
Clarkson
Castle Mountain, CANADA

PROGRAM:

 AVALANCHE SEARCH AND RESCUE ADVANCED SKILLS

NOTABLE:

The sense of relatedness I feel to the Castle community and place gives me purpose and motivation as a ski patrol and as an engaged member of the community to contribute to the best of my abilities. I have also discovered relatedness through skiing by connecting with other women and by volunteering for Mountain Mentors, a non for profit based in British Columbia that facilitates one on one mentorship for women in the backcountry

I SKI BECAUSE:

Skiing allows me to experience something uniquely human and provides me with the ingredients to cultivate self-determination; relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Skiing has been the medium for me to relate, connect, and find a sense of belonging to a community and to a place.

I WANT TO:

Having the highest quality training and the most dialed skills is very necessary in order for me to perform at my highest level and potentially save lives. We believe that if we have professional-level skills we can better support the community by facilitating local in-house avalanche training.
Nina
Waters
Copper / Keystone CO USA

PROGRAM:

 AIARE Level 1

NOTABLE:

I moved to the mountains originally for a short 3 month stint as an actor for a small regional theater in the area. I fell in love with the scenery, and taking long walks in the mountains -- which is what I now know is called "hiking.” I like to challenge expectations. And by being a black woman who spends much of her time outdoors it's very clear to me that we (BIPOC) are under represented in the sport.

I SKI BECAUSE:

As a Black female from Florida who never stepped into a pair of ski boots until 6 years ago, I never knew that this would be something that I would fall so deeply in love with in such a short time. I ski to spend time in the mountains, I ski to keep me sane. I ski to unwind. I ski to get amped. It’s a beautifully peaceful, and magical thing.

I WANT TO:

I want to take this opportunity to grow and feel more confident in my backcountry navigations, and I want to share that knowledge with people who look like me and feel like I do. It's important that we try and open this sport to more people. And by doing that, we can guarantee the longevity of the sport with more diversity involved. We as women are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to rights, and I feel like women of color have it even harder.
Instagram @ninerweiner
Kikken Schleusner
Kikken
Schleusner
Alyeska, AK USA

PROGRAM:

 Recreational Avalanche Safety, Level 2

NOTABLE:

I have spent the last 2 years teaching intellectually disabled kids at my high school how to ski, through a club called Partners Club. I can see the joy skiing brings them, and their joy only makes my gratitude for skiing stronger. I have also put a special effort into empowering the young women on my team through encouragement and coaching. I never had an older girl rooting me on when I was younger, so being that girl for the young women on my freeride team is really important to me.

I SKI BECAUSE:

The joy skiing brings me comes in a lot of forms; it comes in the sense of comradery that has developed between people in the skiing community, the pure stoke of fresh pow, the feeling of coaching a younger girl to have the confidence to do something new. Skiing is the most joyful thing I have ever done. Overall, I ski not only because it brings me immense joy, but because I am fortunate enough to pass that joy down.

I WANT TO:

Make skiing more accessible to women and those who are disabled. I have had the goal to do the Eklutna Traverse in the winter for the past 4 years, which involves multiple glacial ascents, 38 miles of touring, and 7,000 feet of elevation gain. It's a legendary ski route that requires a multitude of avalanche knowledge and experience.
Instagram @kikken_schleusner
Kendra
Hicks
Whistler, CANADA

PROGRAM:

 ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide Exam

NOTABLE:

In 2000, 3% of ski guides in Canada were female. Today, that number has risen to 9%. Over the years, I've taken many courses, mostly from men. It was really common for me to feel intimated, discouraged, or in some cases harassed, often being the only girl in some of these courses. I found that with any female instructor I took a course from, I would cling to them like a small child to their mother. It was incredible to feel like I could take a course without feeling like I was too nervous that I couldn't even ask a question. I was able to relate to their style of teaching. More than anything it was a huge relief seeing someone like me, a girl, setting an example. I finally felt like I belonged.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Skiing makes me so happy. Experiencing this happiness allows me to show up 100% in other areas of my life. Whenever I experience an uncomfortable situation, a challenge, a storm in life, I believe skiing has equipped me with these skills to get through almost anything. Through communication, through pushing yourself, through hard and rewarding experiences. Skiing makes me healthier. Skiing has provided me with an incredible community. Skiing grounds me to the environment.

I WANT TO:

I want to strive to be outstanding at my job, simply just to set a good example. This is important to me because in so many ways I want to reinforce the fact that women make incredible leaders and guides. I want to strive to make the guiding industry, and back-country skiing as a whole, a much more inclusive environment.
Uschi
Hall
Telluride, CO USA

PROGRAM:

 PSIA RM - Adaptive Alpine Functional Skiing Assessment

NOTABLE:

After an accident left me paralyzed from the chest down, I attended my first sit-ski clinic a month after being released from rehab. I had to learn skiing all over again. It was a general classification that a high paraplegic is better off in a bi-ski, but I was determined to become an independent mono-skier. Just the thought of being able to ski most runs on my own, without constant need for assistance, was a big mountain to scale.

I SKI BECAUSE:

There are no words that can describe the sense of freedom I experience, transferring into my mono-ski and leaving my wheelchair behind.

I WANT TO:

To be an inspiration and support for others and encourage to go beyond their limitations. There are so many emotions that can hinder the process of learning to sit-ski, one of them is the fear of getting hurt again. I wish I had an instructor that can say, "I been there, I know how you feel". As I have gone through all the ups and downs myself, I am able to relate to many difficulties and struggles student might encounter while learning to sit-ski.
Instagram @uschihall
Tori
Lewis
Squaw Valley, CA USA

PROGRAM:

 PSIA Alpine Level 3 Ski/Teach

NOTABLE:

As the head coach for our first-year U10 racers at Squaw, my job is to develop all of our athletes' technical skills, understanding of race tactics, and love and respect for the mountains and themselves.

I SKI BECAUSE:

Because it's fun. Because it both humbles me and teaches me how strong and capable my body and spirit are. Because it enables me to help transform my athletes in the same way I'm transformed every day in the Valley.

I WANT TO:

After having the opportunity to learn under equity-minded examiners, I also want to become an examiner for PSIA because of the impact I can have on bringing up other women and underrepresented folks in the industry.
Instagram @littlevictoris
Rachel
Reimer
Revelstoke, Canada

PROGRAM:

 Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Apprentice Ski Guide Training Course

NOTABLE:

I am recovering from a brain injury that I incurred during a ski accident at work last winter. This year, being in a competitive guides training program while also rehabbing and returning from injury, has required me to dig deep into my self-worth and to truly believe in myself, even when it's hard. I have had to re-learn many skills, and yet I still continue on my path, because the lure of the mountains, and how I feel in them, is ultimately deeply positive and healing for me.

I SKI BECAUSE:

I ski because of the community of skiers that I love, who I train with, and who provide a sense of belonging and affirmation for me. I ski to inspire others, to pass on the joy of movement and to live my values. For me, skiing is personal, professional, and deeply meaningful in terms of community. I believe in an inclusive, fair and open-minded ski culture.

I WANT TO:

Support my community in reducing barriers to mountain athletics for all people, specifically those who face additional barriers due to discrimination and exclusion. I founded and run a non-profit organization, Open Mountains Project (www.openmountains.com, that connects youth with the mountain environment and reduces barriers to access. I also volunteer as the Co-Chair of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides' Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Part of my goal in becoming a certified ski guide is to have a stronger sense of belonging in mountain culture, and to use that privilege to speak more openly about inclusion in our mountain communities. .
Instagram @rachel_dawn_reimer
Lauren
Cisneros
Beaver Creek, CO USA

PROGRAM:

 Adaptive Level 3 Prep Clinic

NOTABLE:

I want everyone to be able to slide on snow - it's a passion of mine. Everyone is entitled to that right.

I SKI BECAUSE:

I ski because of the joy it brings me. I teach because I love sharing my passion with my students. I teach adaptive because I love seeing special needs children and adults experience the joy I know and love on snow.

I WANT TO:

This additional education will help me further my career in snow sports, help me be better help to my students, and will prepare me for whatever adaptive lesson comes through the door. The beauty with adaptive is that you never know who will show up next week.
Instagram @hiyahphoto