American Business Women's Association Scholarships
Businessman Hilary Bufton founded The American Business Women's Association, or ABWA, in 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri, to promote equal business opportunities for women. The ABWA has more than 500,000 members in chapters throughout the United States. Through its chapters, the ABWA provides businesswomen with opportunities for professional and personal growth. The ABWA scholarship programs, both national and chapter-sponsored, help hundreds of women each year achieve their educational goals.
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Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund
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The Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund, or SBMEF, provides scholarships to women for graduate and undergraduate degrees and for professional development that leads to career advancement. The fund's national board of directors administers the scholarship program. Funds for the SBMEF scholarship programs are provided in part by ABWA chapters and networks which donate funds to the programs and raise funds on behalf of the SBMEF. Chapters and networks which contribute funds to the SBMEF are eligible to sponsor scholarship candidates.
National Scholarships
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The SBMEF provides three national graduate scholarships annually. The Hilary A. Bufton, Jr. Scholarship for $10,000 and the Ruth H. Bufton Scholarship for $10,000 are awarded in alternate years for varying fields of study. The fund awards the $3,000 Glorine Tuohey Memorial Scholarship to nursing students. The President's Scholarship for $3,000 is awarded to students majoring in business administration. The fund awards the Carolyn B. Elman National Undergraduate Scholarship in odd-numbered years for selected fields of study. The SBMEF provides an online application process.
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Outright Grants
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The outright grant program provides educational grants up to $1,500 for tuition, fees and books. Eligible ABWA chapters submit applications for their sponsored candidates who are enrolled as juniors or above in United States colleges or universities. The SBMEF application deadline for outright grants is March 1. Chapters which submit applications early may qualify to receive an additional $500 for their sponsored students.
Business Skills Tuition Reimbursement Grants
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The Business Skills Tuition Reimbursement Program provides grants to working businesswomen for non-degree program coursework that updates skills and knowledge. Funds may be used for ABWA national or district conferences if the applicant's career objectives are met by the coursework. Chapters and networks sponsor applicants for the tuition reimbursement programs. Chapters and networks whose annual contribution was $500 in the year before submission of an application are eligible to submit applications on behalf of candidates for the Business Skills Tuition Reimbursement Program.
Chapter/Network Scholarships
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Many ABWA chapters and networks administer their own scholarship programs for which they raise funds locally. For instance, the Pirate Charter Chapter in Greenville, North Carolina, provides the $5,000 Nina Belle Redditt memorial Scholarships to two students each year. The ABWA Career chapter in Topeka, Kansas, awards scholarships from $250 to $500 to students with business or career goals who are attending Washburn University.
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The SBMEF also offers corporate scholarships, chapter/network special scholarships and legacy donor scholarships, which are announced when available. Chapters, networks, state ABWA councils and the ABWA website provide information about scholarships availability.
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References
- American Business Women's Association: About ABWA
- Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund: Home
- Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund: Chapters and Networks
- Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund: Scholarship Opportunities
- ABWA Pirate Charter Chapter: ABWA Scholarship
- ABWA Career Chapter: Scholarship Application
Resources
- Photo Credit two business women sitting in a cafe image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
