BUSINESS WOMEN’S NETWORK HELPS FUND THE TRANSITION
A local business organization is lending a hand to women who want to go back to school. Every year the Business Women’s Network of Howard County (BWN) awards two scholarships of at least $1,000 each to women seeking to change careers, move up the career ladder or re-enter the workforce.
The program, which began in 2000, was initially designed to “help established career women who needed additional education to reach the next level or those looking to complete a career change,” says Stanette Robinson, BWN director of scholarships. Now, she says, as economic times have changed, BWN also helps “stay-at-home moms who need to get back in the workforce for economic reasons.”
The Lifelong Learner Scholarship can be used for undergraduate or graduate degrees, as well as for certificate, technical or other training programs. Applicants must be women who are at least 21, have a high school diploma or GED and have a connection to Howard County.
“We look for women who are involved in their communities and who are trying to pursue career goals with a level of excellence,” says Robinson.
This year’s recipients, Marie Jean of Elkridge and Nicole Magnani of Fulton, were each awarded $2,000, she says.
Jean, a 1994 high school graduate and mother of three, is studying philosophy and sociology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and plans to attend law school. She also has volunteered at the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center at Howard Community College.
Magnani, a 2007 graduate of Reservoir High School, is pursuing an MBA in technology management law and policy at Capitol College. She is interested in researching alternative energy sources and has also been helping an acupuncturist establish an insurance program, Robinson says.
Scholarship information is available on BWN’s website, www.bwn-hoco.org. BWN, which has 130 members, has awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships since 2000.
