By Kathy L. Collins
Women who are looking to pursue post-secondary (college or vocational training) educational goals can apply for educational grants and scholarships from the American Business Women’s Association’s (ABWA) Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund.
The ABWA’s educational fund has four different scholarship programs to support women in their pursuit of knowledge. There are National Scholarships, Outright Grants, Business Skills Tuition Reimbursement and Impact Scholarships available.
To apply for the National Scholarships, please visit www.sbmef.org and click on Scholarships and apply. The deadline to apply is May 15.
To apply for Outright Grants, please email Deb Adams, Vice President and Branch Manager of BMO Bank and a long-time member and member of the Board of Directors of the ABWA at deb.adams@bmo.com. You will receive an email with a Log In ID and Password to use for applying. The deadline to apply for Outright Grants is June 1.
Adams said, “I joined ABWA to network. I also wanted to help women in business and also support scholarship and grant opportunities for ladies who wish to pursue continuing education.” Adams added, “In our local chapter, we have had numerous local winners for out Grants, but none for the National Scholarships recently. We would love to have a local lady win one of the National Scholarships.”
Adams said, “I like being involved with the ABWA because I have the opportunity to network with ladies from very diverse backgrounds, both personally and professionally. We have fun events that are used to raise money which funds educational opportunities.”
Adams added, “We also help younger professional ladies learn more about business. The ABWA provides online business training that is comparable to Fortune 500 companies. Many classes are free with the cost of membership in the ABWA. Some are available for minimal cost without membership.”
The Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund (SBMEF) was founded in 1953. According to the website, the fund has awarded more than $16 million in scholarships to more than 16,000 women. The scholarships are funded thanks to generous donations and contributions made by ABWA members.
For more information, please visit www.sbmef.org. For information on local Grants, please contact Deb Adams at deb.adams@bmo.com.
