If you are a female student in your penultimate year of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Australia or New Zealand, please apply for ourWomen in Leadership Scholarship. The recipient will receive $15,000 and an internship in one of our Australian or New Zealand offices in 2021 (timing negotiable). Please apply online by 26 June 2020.
![Lauren Stanford](/~/media/mckinsey/careers%20redesign/meet%20our%20people/careers%20blog/lauren%20humphrey/at%20stanford%20uni%20with%20all%20my%20mck%20friends%20in%20he%20us.jpg?cq=50&mw=767&cpy=Center)
When I won the inaugural Women in Leadership Scholarship in 2013, I had no idea how many opportunities awaited me at McKinsey. After my summer internship, I accepted an offer to join as a business analyst in Sydney. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the world of business; I worked in industries such as health, consumer products, banking, telecommunications and mining.
![Lauren and Marissa](/~/media/mckinsey/careers%20redesign/meet%20our%20people/careers%20blog/lauren%20humphrey/me%20with%20marissa%20mayer.jpg?cq=50&mw=767&cpy=Center)
McKinsey also enabled me to pursue my passion for public service. In my third year as an analyst, the firm helped me organise a secondment with the Australian Federal Government Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. For three months, I worked on issues ranging from supporting the development of indigenous education policies to increasing school attendance.
![Lauren reunion](/~/media/mckinsey/careers%20redesign/meet%20our%20people/careers%20blog/lauren%20humphrey/ba%20reunion%20on%20the%20other%20side%20of%20the%20world.jpg?cq=50&mw=767&cpy=Center)
Afterward, I received a McKinsey fellowship to pursue my MBA. I returned to the firm as an associate after graduating from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business last year. I was recently promoted to engagement manager. I’m grateful for the confidence McKinsey put in me, trusting me to run teams on the ground day-to-day.
![Lauren McK Women](/~/media/mckinsey/careers%20redesign/meet%20our%20people/careers%20blog/lauren%20humphrey/all%20my%20favourite%20fabulous%20mckinsey%20women.jpg?cq=50&mw=767&cpy=Center)
The thing I love most about McKinsey is that my learning comes first – my mentors and leaders don’t hesitate to put me in new roles where I will be challenged and grow.