Did you qualify for the State Leadership Conference or the National Leadership Conference? Are you applying for college? Do you want to attend an academic event that you do not have the funds for? Scholarships can be a game-changer, and it’s not hard to ask businesses or other institutions to help fund your academic goals. Large and small businesses often offer scholarships to support students like you. Here are a few ways to ask businesses for scholarships.

Identify Potential Businesses:
Start by researching local businesses or those in your field of interest. Some large corporations have special funds allocated to donating to students, while others are looking for opportunities to donate to local causes. Look for companies with a history of community involvement or corporate social responsibility programs. Research small and large companies to see your options, and gather a list of 5-10 to reach out to. 

Craft a Compelling Pitch:
Create an email template that introduces who you are: your achievements, goals, and why you deserve their support. Explain how their scholarship will make a meaningful impact on your education and future career. When drafting this template, make it customization to each business. Address them by name and hand-pick a few specific qualities about each company that show your interest in that specific company. For example, explain how their values align with your aspirations or their community involvement aligns with your future career path or interests. 

Highlight Mutual Benefits:
In your email template, emphasize how their scholarship can benefit the business. Depending on the type of scholarship, some companies can get a tax exemption for their involvement. Research different volunteering clauses- and if your scholarship meets the requirements- gather the relevant information on your FBLA chapter (or whatever cause you’re gathering the money for) for tax exemptions. Ensure that you get an adult to review your research and tax information (it would also be a good idea to have them CC’d on the emails going forward). Similarly, mention how your success can reflect positively on the business’ brand, potentially through media coverage or community recognition of some sort. Throughout your emails, make sure you maintain professionalism in your communication. Write a well-structured email or letter, proofread it carefully, and use proper etiquette.

Follow Up:
If you don't receive a response within a reasonable timeframe, follow up politely. Persistence can show your dedication and commitment. However, finding more businesses to contact would be a good idea if two or more weeks pass. 

Express Gratitude:
Always thank businesses for considering your request, whether they provide the scholarship or not. A courteous attitude can leave a lasting impression.

Remember, approaching businesses for scholarships requires confidence, persistence, and professionalism. With dedication and the right approach, you may find valuable financial support to help you achieve your educational dreams. Good luck!

​When Ms. Wendy Mills joined PBL at Southern Utah University to fulfill a class requirement, she never knew the journey that she would be embarking on. 

Now, 24 years later, adviser at 2 different schools, she has climbed her way up the ranks of FBLA.

Mrs. Mills is a familiar sight at FBLA conferences throughout the year as Secretary for the Illinois Board of Advisers as well as Wauconda High School’s adviser. She has taken to heart what it means to be an adviser, serving her students in whatever capacity she can. That started as an officer herself at her PBL chapter, to adviser, and is what led her to apply to be a National board member. 

“ I was really passionate about FBLA and wanted to be part of it on a higher level,” Mrs. Mills stated, citing her love for FBLA as the reason for her continuous involvement. 

When she found out that she was the unanimous pick of the board out of a couple hundred applicants, she was over the moon.

“I’m sure I sounded like a little kid,” she said, describing her excitement after receiving a phone call from the National office. 

That news was received in 2021. Voted for 3 year cycles, Mrs. Mills’ term ends in 2024 after the National Leadership Conference. Her work on the board, though, has been invaluable, having been selected as the Secretary and for the Executive Committee––a committee that meets more often than the Board of Directors itself.

That hard work has been recognized on multiple occasions as well. Mrs. Mills was recognized as the Illinois FBLA Mary E. Webb Award Winner in 2013, only a couple of years after she became the adviser at Wauconda.

At the National Leadership Conference in 2022 held in Chicago, Illinois, Mrs. Mills was added to the FBLA Adviser Wall of Fame, her efforts being recognized from afar.

Those efforts are also what make FBLA such an integral part of the community at the town of Wauconda, with both of Mrs. Mills’ 2023 National Champions getting street signs at the town’s entryway. The town’s marquises make it a point every year to wish the National qualifiers good luck at their conference, once again highlighting the town’s involvement in the chapter. 

That recognition soon earned Mrs. Mills the Shining Star from the Chamber of Commerce in 2016 as well as a Community Service Award from the mayor in 2017.

A journey that began in college will soon be coming to an end, however when Mrs. Mills retires this year, she hopes to continue to be involved in FBLA in various ways––just behind the scenes.

This includes the potential to be a contact person for new advisers across the nation. “I think I could really help some of them get on their feet,” Mrs. Mills said, “because it can be overwhelming your first year.”

Whatever she chooses to do, though, FBLA has been really lucky to have such an invaluable person. She draws inspiration from the fact that she is able to “help kids help themselves”, and that’s what makes her amazing.