Despite rising tuition costs for colleges and universities, pursuing higher education remains a top priority for students. Through ISSA Scholars, an ISSA Charity supporting youth with scholarships and internships, exceptional students who demonstrate academic and leadership excellence are awarded scholarships to make their higher education dreams come true. Generous ISSA Charities companies and individuals fund these valuable scholarships to relieve the burden of tuition.

Making dreams possible

Thanks to ISSA Scholars, Georgia-Rae Jones was able to attend her dream school and double-major in Science-Business and Spanish. “My senior year of high school, I had gotten into my top schools, which was great. But when it came to how my family would realistically make it happen financially, it was very frustrating and made me feel pessimistic about my future. I can honestly say I would not have gone to my dream school without this scholarship,” said Jones, who  received the Jack D. Ramaley Award. After graduation, Jones went on to work at Deloitte and received an MBA from Emory University Goizueta Business School in Atlanta in 2022.

When Jakarta Robinson heard about ISSA Scholars, she decided to apply for a scholarship to alleviate the burden of college on herself and her parents. “Financial aid helps create a less stressful future for any college student,” said Robinson, who studied Business Administration at the University of Southern California. “I wanted to help my parents, who are in turn helping minimize the debt I’ll face in the future by paying a portion of my tuition.” After applying, Robinson was awarded the Southern California Sanitary Supply Association Scholarship.

Kaylee Wagner grew up understanding the importance of the cleaning industry. Her father encouraged her to apply to ISSA Scholars to achieve her goal of studying Chemistry at the University of South Carolina. “I’ve always known that cleaning is really important through my dad’s work at ISSA and Triple S,” explained Wagner. “And I think the cleaning industry has only become more essential.” Wagner received the Richard H. Jarden Scholarship to pursue her studies.

The impact of ISSA Scholars

Nearly 16 million students¹ were enrolled in an undergraduate program in 2022. During the 2021-2022 academic year, average tuition fees rose 1.3% for students at two-year schools, 1.6% for in-state students at four-year public colleges, and 2.1% for students at four-year private institutions.² Winning scholarships outside of federal financial aid can make a crucial difference for many families in determining whether college is affordable.

Since 1988, ISSA Scholars has given US$4 million in financial aid to over 1,400 college and university students. In 2022 alone, ISSA Scholars awarded 55 scholarships to exceptional students, totaling more than $157,000.

Not only do scholarships enable students to achieve their dreams, but they are also critical in developing talented professionals. By providing scholarships to college students, ISSA Scholars introduces opportunities within the worldwide cleaning industry to future job seekers.

Looking to the future

To apply for a scholarship, students must demonstrate academic merit, individual accomplishments, and evidence of leadership. Employees and immediate family of ISSA member companies can apply to support their studies at any fully accredited four-year college or university. Online applications for 2023 scholarships are open now through April 14, 2023!

For the 2023-2024 academic year, ISSA Scholars is seeking support to award scholarships to the many deserving students currently applying. To learn more or donate, visit issacharities.org/issa-scholars. 

¹Welding, L. (2022, September 27) College Enrollment Statistics in the U.S., Best Colleges.
²Dickler, J. (2022, July 15) From tuition hikes to higher student loan borrowing costs, inflation is making college even more expensive., CNBC.