Diana Jue ’05 has been named one of Forbes’ 2015 “30 under 30” for her work as a socially conscious entrepreneur with Essmart, a distribution system that brings life-improving technologies – solar lanterns, non-electric water filters, rechargeable batteries, cook stoves that reduce smoke, and fuel use to poor areas in India.
“My time at Westridge taught me how to both care for and think critically about the lives of people around me, how to embrace diversity, and how to make something happen. Westridge influenced me so much that, when I arrived at MIT as a college freshman, I knew I couldn’t just be a regular, 9-5 engineer. At Westridge, I had been well-trained in the humanities and had been well-exposed to different types of thinking. This resulted in my being very creative with my undergraduate education, which was atypical for a MIT student, but perfectly fitting for me and my passions.”
Diana and Essmart co-founder Jackie Stenson were 2014 Asia-Pacific winners of the Cartier Women’s Initative. They have also been named Echoing Green fellows and were featured on NPR in the fall.
Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.
