LAKE FOREST, ILL.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM) is proud to announce the “Write Your Own Future” MBA Scholarship contest — an extraordinary opportunity through which up to 50 Chicago-area unemployed business professionals will pursue their MBAs for free, while they actively seek full-time employment, and until they land their next positions. Winners of these scholarships (which renew each term the winner remains unemployed and actively pursues employment) will be selected based on their previous levels of responsibility, career progression, performance in the admissions interview, and strength of their essays on the topic, “How a Lake Forest MBA will benefit my career, my future employers, and my community.” Visit www.WriteYourOwnFuture.com for complete contest rules and to enter.
The LFGSM “Write Your Own Future Scholarship” MBA Scholarship contest represents an unprecedented opportunity. The prolonged economic downturn has led to record high levels of unemployment in all sectors of the nation’s economy, impacting many of Chicago’s talented business and managerial professionals. For individuals and organizations alike, few have been insulated from the effects of current economic conditions. In offering this opportunity, LFGSM recognizes that the idling of top talent not only hinders the affected business professionals’ contributions, but also narrows the future leadership bench strength that will be available to the Chicago-area business community in a rebounding economy.
“Putting our real-world, results-oriented MBA education within reach of 50 experienced, out-of-work, professionals is our way of making a meaningful contribution to the business community that LFGSM was founded to serve. Simply put, providing this unique opportunity is consistent with the School’s DNA,” said LFGSM President & CEO John Popoli. “We want to send a message that in-transition professionals have a lot to offer – now and in the future – in their communities, in the workforce and in the classroom. This is a win-win for LFGSM and for those we serve – Chicago-area businesses and the current and future business leaders who we are proud to have in our student body.”
Christopher C. Multhauf, LFGSM Executive Vice President – Educational Programs and Solutions, concurred with Popoli’s assessment. “For the past 65 years, LFGSM has offered MBA degree programs and corporate education solutions specifically tailored to help talented, experienced managers and professionals further sharpen the skills and business acumen they need to become broader thinkers and stronger leaders in their organizations and communities,” Multhauf said. “With this is mind, we envision awarding these Scholarships to individuals who had a track record of being strong contributors within organizations that were forced to make difficult downsizing decisions. As examples, these winners might be company vice presidents and directors, high-potential managers, and healthcare professionals who had assumed management roles. Such professionals, like our current students, will greatly benefit from the Lake Forest MBA experience and will be strong assets in the classroom."
The LFGSM “Write You Own Future” MBA Scholarship contest is open to professionals laid off after October 31, 2009, are age 28, and older, who are legal residents of the U.S. and reside in Cook, Lake, DuPage, McHenry or Kane County in Illinois; or Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Entrants must have four or more years’ professional work experience, and must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or the equivalent. Entrants must not hold an MBA or individually earn more than $3,000 (gross) earned income per month (excluding severance pay). Entries will be accepted online at www.WriteYourOwnFuture.com from March 21, 2001 through April 30, 2011.
Winners will be announced in June 2011. The 50 scholarship recipients will join the more than 800 Lake Forest MBA students currently pursuing a Lake Forest MBA in Lake Forest, Schaumburg and Grayslake. As with all Lake Forest MBA students, the scholarship recipients will increase their business acumen through LFGSM’s distinctive practical business education model while enhancing their credentials and expertise. Further aiding their efforts to gain full-time employment, these individuals also will significantly expand their job search opportunities by adding classmates, LFGSM seasoned business leader faculty members, and the more than 8,000 LFGSM alumni to their professional networks.
Visit www.WriteYourOwnFuture.com or www.Facebook.com/LFGSM for more details. To learn more about Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, visit www.LFGSM.edu.
Lake Forest Graduate School of Management offers the Chicago area’s premier MBA program for experienced professionals and was established in 1946. LFGSM is currently accepting applications for its MBA program in Grayslake, Lake Forest and Schaumburg, as well as its on-site locations at Allstate and BlueCross BlueShield. LFGSM is the only independent, not-for-profit, accredited graduate business school in the Chicago area. Learn more at www.LFGSM.edu.