BPW/Raleigh Educational Scholarships

About the Scholarship

BPW/Raleigh Scholarships are provided to outstanding area students seeking to further their education, advance their careers, or re-enter the workforce. BPW/Raleigh Scholarship recipients will receive a monetary award in the amount of $2,000 (USD) toward their education. Scholarships apply toward tuition or other defined school expenses and will be paid to the school on the recipient’s behalf.

BPW/Raleigh Dr. Lois E. Frazier Scholarship | Mary E. Fox Scholarship

Applications are now CLOSED. Deadline was March 15, 2013.

Scholarship applicants are evaluated based on application materials and demonstration of:

• Completed application (essay, short answers, reference & scholastic record)
• Leadership
• Financial need and/or academic achievement
• Integrity
• Commitment to giving back (particularly to supporting other women)

BPW/Raleigh scholarships are not awarded to the same person in two consecutive years.

All candidates must submit a completed application.

Application Process

• Candidates can be female or male and must be currently enrolled (full or part-time) at an accredited college, university, or institution of higher education
• Current high school students are not eligible to apply
• Applicant must reside within the North Carolina counties of Wake, Durham, Orange, or Johnston (but can attend school outside the area
• Applicant should have a career plan after completion of schooling
• Applicant must demonstrate a financial need and/or academic achievement
• Applicants may be male or female
• Applicant must be in good academic standing (2.5 GPA or higher)
• Applicant must complete an application form provided by the Raleigh BPW Scholarship Committee
• Applicant must submit an official transcript of scholastic record (copy acceptable)
• Applicant must complete two of the four essay questions (no more than 150 words each) as stated on the application form
• Applicant must submit one (1) reference letter on letterhead paper

What is expected of a BPW/Raleigh Scholarship Recipient?

BPW/Raleigh expects you to give forward and support others in their careers, work with integrity and pursue excellence.  We will ask the following of each recipient:

• Attend the Scholarship award dinner in April if possible
• Work with BPW/Raleigh to develop a profile for the our website to highlight your accomplishments and future goals
• Maintain contact with BPW/Raleigh and keep us informed about your career and accomplishments

Scholarship Deadlines

Completed Applications are due to president@bpwraleigh.org by the listed deadline. The BPW Scholarship Committee will screen all applications. A personal interview may be required. The winner will be notified by phone and presented the award at the BPW/Raleigh dinner meeting in April.

Scholarship Payment

The scholarship will be payable to the school the recipient will attend at the beginning of the Fall 2013 term. The scholarship recipient must arrange for bills to be sent to BPW/Raleigh.

Questions? Contact president@bpwraleigh.org.

BPW/Raleigh is a non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation.

Meet the BPW/Raleigh 2012 Scholarship Winners! Carisha Miller attends Shaw University and was awarded the Lois E. Frazier Scholarship.  Carisha is a Biology major who graduated Spring 2012. She plans on attending medical school where her goal is to become a cardiologist.  She is proud to be a full time student and single parent persevering to reach her professional goals.

Joseph Hutchinson attends North Carolina Central University and was awarded the Mary E. Fox Scholarship.  Joseph is a Business Management major with minor in Apparel Design, and holds the position of offensive lineman and special teams player for the NCCU Eagles.  He is committed to community service and was looking forward to an internship last summer with Nike in Beaverton, Oregon.  Joseph will graduate in the Spring of 2013 and plans to begin a career in apparel and footwear design with an athletic company.

Pictured: Joseph Hutchinson [BPW Scholarship Recipient], Dr. Frazier [Scholarship], Vanessa Bennett [BPW Scholarship Chair], Carisha Miller [BPW Scholarship Recipient]

Dr. Lois E. Frazier chose a teaching career when she was in college and focused energy and interest in meeting that goal. Earning a bachelor’s degree in 1942 and a MS in 1948 from UNC –Greensboro, Dr. Frazier earned an EdD in Business Education from the University of Indiana at Bloomington in 1961. She describes her professors at Woman’s College, UNC-G’s earlier incarnation, as “outstanding; they were demanding; but they were genuinely concerned about our total education for careers and life.”

Dr. Frazier joined BPW in Brevard in 1945 and later became a member of the Raleigh and Greensboro clubs. The niece of former N.C. Governor Luther H. Hodges, leadership was in the family! Her service included a two-year term (1956 - 1958) as President of the North Carolina Business and Professional Women’s Federation and a one year term (1965 - 1966) as President of Raleigh’s local club. She also served as treasurer of the National Federation for two years (1961 - 1962 and 1962 - 1963) and was an active participant on a number of committees.

Dr. Frazier served as Head of the Department of Business and Economics Meredith College (1954 - 1985).  She played a vital role in developing the MBA Program and served as Director of the program (1983 - 1991). She maintained a close relationship with UNC-G over the years too. She served on the Alumni Advisory Board for the Bryan School of Business and Economics, and accepted a distinguished service award from the university in 1996. As Dr. Frazier recently shared with a writer for a UNC-G alumni magazine – “Most gratifying to Dr. Frazier is the lasting impact her former students have made. “Seeing students grow personally and academically from early enrollment at Meredith until graduation was a joy,” she shared. “One of my proudest accomplishments is learning that graduates of our programs are successful in their professions and provide outstanding leadership in their communities.”

Portions of Dr. Frazier’s biography was taken from an article written in the UNCG Magazine, Fall, 2011. It was written by Michelle Hines, University Relations Writer, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Mary Edith Fox was reared in Terre Haute, Indiana, where her father was a professor at Indiana State University of Terre Haute and where she earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1946.

After a move to North Carolina and her four children (two girls and two boys) entered school, she successfully combined managing home and a career.

In 1964 she began her life insurance career; working for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Life Insurance company before establishing her own business, Tax Deferred Services in 1976.  She was extremely helpful to educators, local government employees, and workers in nonprofit organizations in financial planning for retirement.

Mary became a member of Raleigh BPW in 1968 and was active until her death in 2004.  She served as president 1983 - 84.  After her presidency, she volunteered wherever her assistance was needed.  She often advised state federation committees on financial matters.

Mary E. Fox was an intelligent woman, a successful business person, a loyal club member, and a valued friend.