The Black School of Business recognizes and supports efforts by students in their pursuit in attaining widely valued and recognized professional certifications and designations. To that extent, subject to budget constraints, students are encouraged to apply for funding, not to exceed $1,000 per student. The purpose of these awards is to assist students in covering additional costs incurred outside of required Black School of Business coursework to earn the desired designation/certification. Department Chairs and the Associate Director will review applications and make recommendations to the Director of the Black School of Business for possible awards.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025 by 5:00pm for Spring 2025
***All awards are expected to be funded by JUNE 15, 2025. Awards not claimed by this date will be forfeited. Requests for extensions beyond June 15, 2025 can be made to the Associate Director, with no guarantees that an extension will be granted. If you will not need funds until after June 15, 2025, you should wait to apply during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Eligibility Guidelines
1. Students seeking a Black School of Business major, undergraduate or graduate (at Erie Campus or World Campus) are eligible to apply.
2. The award will be granted based on the promise of success in the certification/designation program. The credentials that will be used to assess student applications include GPA (cumulative and major), courses taken related to the certification/designation, rationale for the request, and resume review, among other things.
3. Funding will prioritize business-related certifications and designations that match or support the curriculum offered by the academic programs at the Black School of Business.
4. The award amount will be determined by the Director of the Black School of Business in consultation with Department Chairs and the Associate Director.
5. The award may be combined with other grants, scholarships, and campus matching awards.
6. A student previously receiving an award is eligible to apply again for subsequent awards, subject to demonstrated success with the certification/designation of the first award, and not to exceed a combined total of $1,000 awarded to the student overall.
7. This award is not based on financial need. It is to support students with expenses above and beyond required fees and expenses related to your Behrend education. Behrend coursework materials will NOT be reimbursed.
8. If awarded, students must provide actual documentation and receipts to get reimbursed. Applicants must inform the Black School of Business of the outcome of their efforts in seeking the professional designation.
9. All applicants must submit a complete application and submit a current resume with cumulative and major GPA information by the announced deadline to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the evaluation committee.
Submission Guidelines
- Make sure to read the eligibility criteria above.
- Complete the Online Form by the deadline date by March 21, 2025.
- A well formatted resume must be uploaded while completing the online form.
- Only complete applications will be evaluated. Late applications will not be considered.
- If you encounter any issues with your online submission, please reach out to Danielle Cheza at dmc7050@psu.edu.
Questions?
Talk with the Department Chair of your Major or the Associate Director of the Black School.
Accounting or MIS: Dr. Ash Deshmukh
Economics or Finance: Dr. Jessica Zhao
IBE, ISB, or International Business: Mrs. Carol Putman
Marketing or PSCM: Dr. Ray Venkataraman
Functional Data Analytics: Dr. Babajide Osatuyi
Associate Director: Dr. Joongseo Kim