Elks National Foundation Blog

Ahead of the Curve by Ashley Brown Each year, the Elks National Foundation scholarship staff attends the National Scholarship Providers Association annual conference. The NSPA is a national network of foundations, corporations, and higher education institutions who support and encourage college success for all students through the power of scholarships. For the last three years, I’ve had the privilege of attending and learning from peer organizations on the best practices in scholarship program management. Besides being inspired by the great work of organizations who are making college possible for many students, I have continually been reminded of the great work the Elks and the Elks National Foundation are doing for students nationwide. As my colleagues Jenna and Maryann will detail, the ENF is at the forefront of excellent scholarship programming and scholar relations efforts. From Elks Scholar Service Trips and Campus Meet-Ups, to our Scholar Advisory Board, we are c

by Sherie Sasso Scholarship Chair at Madison, Wis., Lodge No 41 0 This is my fourth year as Scholarship Chair at Madison, Wis., Lodge No. 410. We have about 25 high schools in our area, and we generally receive 40 to 50 applications each year. We have a team of three or four individuals who judge the applications. From the beginning, I have always been extremely impressed by the quality of the applicants. They are all very bright scholars who maintain excellent grades while also participating in community service and school activities. Most are leaders in their classrooms and on their sports teams. In addition, many hold part-time jobs. It is incredibly difficult to evaluate each application and determine which of the applicants will move on to the District level. We wish we could give scholarships to all of the students because they have all worked so hard. I was very happy when Elks Scholar Fellow Jenna Johnson contacted me about hosting an Elks Scholar

by Youth Programs Associate Billy Donnelly   I have been fortunate enough to experience many different not-for-profit organizations, both as a volunteer and as a staff member. In my opinion, nonprofit work is the most rewarding thing that I can do both personally and professionally. Working a hard day and then working a hard day’s night can leave you feeling like a dog, but when you are invested, and you care about what you are working for, it’s different. I am not going to pretend that doing nonprofit work magically makes everything okay. After a long day your feet are still going to hurt, your back is still going to ache, you’re still going to be hungry and tired, but it’s different. It’s worth it. And you know that it’s worth it. There are plenty of idioms that can sum up this sensation such as “You get out of it what you put into it” or “You reap what you sow”, and each one is more true than the last. Don’t believe me? Let me explain what it is like in Casper, #Wybroming.

  Sean Pringle is the Scholarship Chair at the Oceano/Five Cities, Calif., Lodge No. 2504 where he has been a member for two years. Upon receiving his MVS scholarship in 2010, Sean served on the ENF Scholar Advisory Board (SAB) for four years. He graduated in spring of 2016 with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (structural emphasis) from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.   We encourage Elks scholars to share their story, give their time, and join the Order. Hear about Sean’s journey from share, to give, to join below. SHARE Each scholar has a different story and experience to share. We come from all different backgrounds, have led different volunteer events/activities, and are passionate about pursuing a great career after college. When you consider how many current Elks scholars and alumni are out there, we make up a rather large community, all with one central connection­ — we’re part of the much larger Elks family.   I became involved with the Elks during

by Senior Programs Associate Colleen Muszynski 2017 Most Valuable Student and Legacy Awards contests are in full swing . The Dallas Elks Scholar Service Trip is approaching this winter . The Hoop Shoot season has kicked-off with Lodge contests ramping up in October and griteos dropping every Tuesday .  But hey, what’s that? In the corner among the chaos? It’s your friendly Community Investments Program grant office! And we’re here, as ever, to help Lodges make a charitable impact in their communities.  Chelsea and I with our CIP Field Guides Maybe I’m biased because I help run the CIP, but I’d argue that even during our slower times, the CIP grants office still buzzes with excitement. It’s a constant buzz that started with the kick-off of the 2016-17 grant year July 1, and won’t end until the cycle closes July 31, 2017—at which time we’ll ALREADY be a month into the 2017-18 year! I’m getting ahead of myself because although we are always looking forward, there ar