05/28/2003
Graduating High School Seniors Each Receive $1,000 for CollegeThe NFIB Education Foundation today announced the recipients of the first annual NFIB Free Enterprise Scholars Awards, a new scholarship program to set future small-business owners on the path to entrepreneurship. The 110 Free Enterprise Scholars will attend the university, college, community college, or vocational/technical institute of their choice with $1,000 in tuition assistance from the NFIB Education Foundation.
"These students are the future of American free enterprise, and that future looks very bright," said Susan Ridge, executive director of the Education Foundation. "We hope the Free Enterprise Scholars Award program will encourage a new generation of entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and live the American Dream."
The Free Enterprise Scholars were recognized today by the NFIB Education Foundation in a full-page ad in USA Today.
In addition to 100 scholarships provided from the endowment of the NFIB Education Foundation, a number of small-business leaders and supporters stepped forward to finance additional scholarships for a total of 10 additional students. The additional scholarships awarded include the NFIB/Jim and Mim Herr Free Enterprise Scholars Awards, the NFIB/Steve Stack Free Enterprise Scholars Award, the NFIB/Thomas and Fay Sincavage Free Enterprise Scholars Award, the NFIB/Direct Selling Education Foundation Free Enterprise Scholars Award, the NFIB/Bill Merry, Jr. Free Enterprise Scholars Award, and the NFIB/Phyllis Kennedy Free Enterprise Scholars Award.
To earn a scholarship, students were asked to demonstrate their entrepreneurial achievement by answering a short, personal question defining their efforts. Each applicant also composed an essay about the importance of free enterprise. Standardized test scores, GPA, and class rank were also considered. The Free Enterprise Scholars were selected from a pool of more than 1,200 applicants nominated by NFIB members around the country.
"As America's largest association of small-business owners, NFIB is excited to launch this program with our first year of scholarships," Ridge said. "Our members spent several months identifying and nominating students, many of whom had already experienced the independence and satisfaction of starting a small business. We salute these young individuals and their success, and look forward to their many contributions in years to come."
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EDITORS NOTE: A list of scholarship recipients is attached.
The NFIB Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt foundation and is associated with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation's largest small-business advocacy group. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals. More information about the NFIB Education Foundation is available on-line at www.nfibeducationfoundation.org.
CONTACT: Mindi Boyagian at 202.554.9000.
