College of Architecture alumna Hawa Meskinyar, B Arch 1995 and M CP 1998, was named Georgia Tech Alumna of the Year 2006 during the Women's Leadership Conference in November 2006.

"I was absolutely delighted to learn that Hawa was awarded the Georgia Tech Alumna of the Year Award," said Dean Thomas Galloway. "I cannot think of a more deserving person. All of us here at the College are so proud of her and the work she is doing in Afghanistan."

Meskinyar was selected to receive the award by a panel of judges made up of faculty, staff, undergraduate students, and alumni from the Georgia Tech community who are part of Georgia Tech's Annual Women's Leadership Conference.

"I cannot begin to tell you how honored I am to receive this award," said Meskinyar. "Georgia Tech is an outstanding institution with many distinguished alumnae. Such an honor at this moment in my life is at once humbling and greatly encouraging to me."

Meskinyar was selected as this year's Outstanding Alumna due to her leadership qualities and in her ability to persist in a course of action that requires extraordinary courage, fortitude, and selflessness. 

"Not only was Hawa a successful Georgia Tech graduate, she continues to touch the lives of people around the world with her non-profit organizations," said Smita Sharma, awards coordinator for the Conference and fourth year Industrial and Systems Engineering major. "Hawa accomplishments and contributions to society made her stand out as a strong woman leader who is constantly inspiring all people around her."

Meskinyar's parents, Mary Osman and Naim Meskinyar, and grandfather, Touryalai Osman, graciously accepted the award for her. She was not able to attend the award ceremony as she is currently adopting a child in Afghanistan and was unable to secure an American visa for him. "I greatly miss family, friends and colleagues in the United States. But at this time, it is not possible for me to leave without him."

After graduating from Georgia Tech, Meskinyar worked as an associate at Economics Research Associates in Chicago and Washington D.C. for four years, then at the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institute of Health. But the plight of her native Afghanistan and its need for reconstruction and reform called her back home. She returned to Afghanistan to live and work in the new government at the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) that is chaired by the country's Vice President. Meskinyar managed the team that collected and entered human resource data for the entire civil service, including the central government and provinces. She credits Georgia Tech's City & Regional Planning Program with giving her the "strong basis for effective management and skills, and for her abilities to analyze and interpret information that she must provide to government ministers."

In addition to her position with IARCSC, Meskinyar founded JAHAN, a non-profit, non-political, humanitarian organization committed to helping women and children. JAHAN stands for Join and Help Afghanistan Now (www.jahan.org). In a 2003 interview when she was briefly back in Atlanta, she stated. "There were so many NGOs in Afghanistan and I really didn't want to start another one, but I was unable to find an NGO that transferred 100 percent of its donations to those in need. JAHAN runs a sponsorship program that tries to encourage families to allow their children to attend school, rather than beg to help their families make ends meet.

"I came to Afghanistan with the desire to help rebuild my homeland where I have worked now for three years. However, I must confess that our progress is painfully slow at times as the government struggles mightily against violence and corruption. The effects of this ongoing turmoil filter down to me and other Afghan American women who are working here. Therefore, at times it is difficult for me to assess clearly whether or not we are gaining ground. Time will tell. But be assured that while I remain here I am determined to do my best."

The Women's Leadership Conference was developed in 1998 as a means to celebrate, recognize, and learn more about the strong leadership exhibited by the women of the Georgia Tech community like Meskinyar. The Conference, run entirely by a group of dedicated students throughout the Women's Resource Center, aims to "inspire and prepare the women of Georgia Tech to be equal partners in the leadership of our professions, communities, and society." This year's Conference theme was "Perseverance in Action," to recognize the perseverance that is displayed by Georgia Tech women. Meskinyar is an excellent model for perseverance in action. Previous award winners are: 

2005: Janice Wittschiebe, (BS 1978 & M 1980 Architecture)
2004: Lara O'Connor Hodgson, (B 1993 College of Engineering)
2003 (Fall): Deen Day Sanders, (Honorary Alumn 1980)
2003 (Spring): Cindy Smith, M.D. (BS 1978 College of Science, Biology)
2002: Brenda Gullatt-Joseph (B 1976 College of Engineering)
2001: Dr. Eden Meyer Hunt (General 1995 MS 1996 College of Engineering)
2000: Gay McLawhorne Love (Honorary Alumn)
1999: L. DiAnne Bradford (MS 1974 PhD 1976 College of Science-Psychology)
1998: Shirley Mewborn (B 1956 College of Engineering)