The Vanguard Scholarship is not the first award that Lauren Williams has received during her four-year career at West Chester. Each year, Vanguard, the nation’s second largest mutual fund company, presents minority students entering their senior year with merit-based scholarship awards. Williams was one of 11 recipients selected among 170 applicants to receive a $5,000 scholarship. The Vanguard Award is only presented to students who are studying business, finance, economics, accounting, information technology, or liberal arts. William Reynolds, the Principal and Head of Diversity at Vanguard said, “The main goal of the program is to promote academic excellence and remove financial barriers for students who have demonstrated high academic and leadership potential.” The or supplies.
Kathleen C. Gubanich, the managing director of Vanguard Human Resources, also said, “We commend these well-rounded students for their academic achievements, and they’re deserving of these awards.”
The Vanguard Scholarship Award is administered by Scholarship Management Services, which is a sub-program of Scholarship America. Scholarship America is described as a national, non-profit educational support and student aid service organization.
The Vanguard Group is located in Valley Forge, Pa. and is a leading provider of company-sponsored retirement plan services.
Williams, originally from Cheltenham, Pa., is a senior graduating in May 2007 with a degree in accounting. Not only is she in the Accounting Society, but she is also a student member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as well as a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). She is in the National Association of Black Accountants and the Black Student Union. During the summer she will be studying to take the Certified Public Accounting Exam and already has a job offer with Price Waterhouse Coopers as an auditor.
Last year Williams was the recipient of a $3,000 Price Waterhouse Minority Scholarship, which is renewable. The Board of Governors of WCU also pays all four years of her college tuition.
Professor Clyde Galbraith, the chair of the accounting department, informed Williams about the scholarship program. “He gave me the application for the scholarship and told me I should apply for it,” Williams said.
“I am very thankful for Professor Galbraith. He made me very tough and he pushes me beyond my limit and I can attribute my accounting success to him,” Williams added.
Minority students, who will be going into their senior year during 2007-2008, and are interested in applying for the scholarship, can visit the Vanguard website at http://www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/vanguard/ or they can dial 1-800-537-4180for more information.