Scholarship

The NEAT wants to invest in you and the alumni relations field by helping you pursue professional development in a variety of ways: in-person or virtual conferences, software or skills training, books, evaluations, or even team-building activities.

Past scholarship winners experienced first-hand the benefits of traditional conferences such as talking with alumni relations workers from around the world, meeting thought-leaders in the industry, learning new skills and returning to their alumni offices with a renewed sense of purpose. Here are suggestions for other opportunities:

  • A course in Microsoft Office for Excel, Word, or Power Point to strengthen your skills
  • Learn how to use Adobe Creative Cloud applications like Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign
  • Take a class in Accounting or Finance
  • Virtual team building training classes or certifications
  • Enneagram or StrengthsFinder evaluations and corresponding books for staff members
  Online Scholarship Application         PDF Scholarship Application (Download)  

Congratulations to the 2024 Scholarship Recipients!

Group Scholarships:

  • Univeristy of New Haven - GiveCampus Partners Conference
  • Northern Michigan University - CASE Young Alumni & Student Engagement Conference
  • University of West Georgia – Georgia Education Advancement Council
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs – CASE Young Alumni & Student Engagement

Individual Scholarships:

  • Angela Schmidt, Bemidji State University – CASE Districs V & VI
  • Arneshia Austin, University of Detroit Mercy – Jesuit Advancement Association Annual Staff Conference
  • Zachery Mock, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee – CASE Young Alumni & Student Engagement Conference
  • Karen Chan, Wayne State – CASE Young Alumni and Student Engagement Conference
  • Ryan Meersman, Westfield State – CASE Young Alumni & Student Engagement Conference
  • Greg Bernard, Southern Connecticut State – CASE Homecomings and Reunions
  • Laura Smith, Western Kentucky University – CASE III District Conference
  • Kendal Meyer, Ashland University – Project Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute
  • Kaia McCue, RIT – CASE Disctrict II Conference
  • April Hazamy, Wayne State – Academic Impressions Alumni Volunteers
  • Ajai Meeks, Wayne State – Working with Volunteers 2025
Trophy

Scholarships will be awarded three times per year.

Money

Individual recipients will be awarded up to $1,500 each, and groups may receive up to $3,000.

Calendar

A scholarship application may be submitted at any time.

“In 2024, I was awarded a NEAT scholarship to attend the Georgia Educational Advancement Council (GEAC) Conference in Jekyll Island, Georgia. This conference provided me with an opportunity to gain insight into the ways that my fellow colleagues are engaging their alumni. In addition to learning best practices and hearing new ideas, I had an opportunity to connect with fellow advancement professionals in Georgia to build a network of colleagues who have already provided great insight as we continue to elevate our alumni relations programming at UWG. Thanks to the support of the NEAT Scholarship,I walked away from this conference with fresh ideas to engage our alumni. I am incredibly grateful for the support of the NEAT Scholarship, for without it, I would not have had the opportunity to attend this key conference.”

Amanda Moore, Executive Director of Alumni & Constituent Engagement
University of West Georgia
2024 Scholarship Recipient

“Receiving the NEAT Professional Development Scholarship was an incredible honor and opportunity. It allowed me to attend the CASE V and VI Conference in Chicago this past April, where I gained invaluable insights and skills in alumni relations. This experience has greatly enriched my understanding of effective engagement strategies, innovative communication techniques, and the importance of fostering lifelong connections between alumni and our institution. I am deeply grateful for the support and investment in my professional growth.”

Angela Schmidt , Director of Alumni Relations
Bemidji State University Alumni and Foundation
2024 Scholarship Recipient

“I used the NEAT scholarship award to attend the 2023 Jesuit Advancement Administrators Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana. This conference gave me insight and awareness to what others colleagues and universities are doing to create and maintain relationships with students and alumni, especially during higher education's challenging climate. Being able to connect with fellow alumni relations colleagues at this conference gave me insight to how they increase alumni engagement and increase usage of new assisted software for various projects. This conference also gave me the opportunity to engage with colleagues in the same field as myself and gain insight to take back to my university and community. While I am still learning within my role, attending this conference assisted me in preparation for the upcoming semester with students and alumni. ”

Sonya Reyna, Alumni Relations Coordinator
University of Detroit Mercy
2023 Scholarship Recipient

“The NEAT scholarship provided the necessary funding for our team to attend the Council of Alumni Marketing and Membership Professionals (CAMMP) at CU Boulder. As a newly formed team within University Advancement, our skill sets and tenure vary across the continuum. Attending the conference was imperative for helping us to learn best practices for alumni and development marketing, which bridged a gap in our newly formed team. We are extremely grateful for the NEAT scholarship which allowed us to attain new ideas, best practices and relationships with colleagues from across the nation.”

UW-Milwaukee University Advancement Marketing and Communications
Gina Lukaszewicz, Kari Pink, Garrett Strother and Katie VanBommel
2023 Scholarship Recipients