Meet TTS Scholar Stela Gavrilova, Class of 2019-20
Stela Gavrilova is pursuing a graduate program focused on Technology Management at Cornell University. She is an accomplished business professional with a successful track record in marketing, project management and strategic analysis. Her passion is to create significant social and economic contribution through technology innovation and entrepreneurship. She engages actively in the non-government sector in Bulgaria to work for positive impact as an active member of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and other not-for-profit organizations.
Can you tell us what the TTS scholarship means to you?
The scholarship is allowing me to pursue my dream to study at Cornell University. It is a great honor to be a TTS scholar because TTS serves a remarkable mission in preserving memory of the great acts of courage and tolerance in regard to the rescue of the Jews in Scandinavia and Bulgaria. We should talk about this history and teach next generations to preserve this spirit of bravery and boldness. Bulgaria stood out as a country that sheltered all of the Jews in its territories despite Nazi oppression and most notable is the fact that this act was mainly driven by the Bulgarian intellectual elite – writers, lawyers, physicians and Church representatives
What started your interest in Technology Management and why did you select Cornell for your American education?
I am really passionate about technology and the way it affects industries and impacts our society. I believe that technology and innovation are the cornerstones of modern human society – they are the prerequisites of human well-being. The program I am pursuing at Cornell was a logical next step in my professional career as I wanted to augment my skills and expertise. The university`s innovative cross-industry and cross-functional approach is what I value most. What I also really like about Cornell and what distinguishes it from the other top schools is that it is very community-focused and close-knit, with a program that is designed with collaborative leadership in mind and thus a person can create more meaningful relationships and friendships with people.
What do you think is most valuable about international education?
I firmly believe that the most valuable asset of international education is that it provides an opportunity to meet and collaborate with strong professionals from all areas of business and academia. This experience, coupled with the perspectives that these people bring from all over the world, is highly rewarding in grasping different viewpoints and shaping one’s leadership skills. In today’s world it is essential that people develop a growth mindset and embrace the ideas of paying it forward and giving back. International education cultivates the ideal of positively impacting the world we live in.
Tell us more about the creation of “significant social and economic contribution through technology innovation and entrepreneurship” and why you think it’s so important.
In today’s world of exponentially developing technology, it is highly important to focus on cross-field innovations in order to maximize economic benefits. We keep seeing many industries and companies breaking under the disruptive forces of technology and that is why it is essential to foster entrepreneurship as a major driver of innovation. There is a need for a variety of external forces to unite toward building a more favorable environment for entrepreneurs. To achieve such a high-level impact, it is extremely important to foster collaboration among business and community leaders, academia and educational institutions, government figures and non-for-profit organizations.
What are your post-graduate plans?
After graduation I plan to apply what I am learning at Cornell to the entrepreneurship and cross-innovation environment in Bulgaria and work towards its establishment as a technological hub with global impact.
Interview conducted October 2019.