The Research Foundation of the American Society of Association Executives has rolled out a new Future Leaders Professional Development Scholarship program that will support the career advancement of at least a few young association professionals each year.
For 2024, the program will award three association employees under the age of 35 with complimentary registration plus $3,000 each for travel and hotel expenses for any in-person ASAE event. In addition, all scholarship recipients will be matched with experienced association leaders for individual mentoring sessions.
The scholarships are available to those who work at trade or professional associations, philanthropic organizations, or association management companies. Applicants must also be members of ASAE.
The program is supported by an initial donation from ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. Other founding donors include Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP, and Destination Cleveland. The ASAE Research Foundation will be responsible for growing donor support for each year’s scholarship program, meaning that more than three scholarships might be available in future years.
“Cultivating leadership pathways for talented, ambitious, and entrepreneurial-thinking association professionals is a strategic priority for ASAE,” Mason said. “Association management is a community-oriented profession and I want young professionals in our business to feel like they have support, particularly in the early stages of their career. I look forward to watching our deserving scholarship recipients advance in the industry.”
For more information about the Future Leaders Professional Development Scholarship, visit foundation.asaecenter.org/grants/future-leaders-professional-development-scholarship.
