DLE ALUMS GIVE BACK AS VOLUNTEERS WITH BERKSHIRE BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

Hannah DeLisle-Stall and Ivy Rodriguez Campos have two things in common: both women are active members of the DLE community, and both are past beneficiaries of the Berkshire Business & Professional Women (BBPW) Career Advancement Scholarship Program.

Now Hannah and Ivy have added a third common factor: they are co-chairing the BBPW Scholarship Committee and spreading the word about the program, which is accepting applications through June 18.

The Career Advancement Scholarships support the unique needs of non-traditional women students. In 2020, BBPW scholarships provided $21,000 in support to 22 local women.

Hannah said the BBPW intentionally keeps its definition of “non-traditional student” broad to attract the widest pool of eligible applicants in the Berkshires.

“The demographic of the women we serve has changed over the years, and we realize that our scholarship program needs to match that shift,” said Hannah, who received an award in 2013. “Typically, any woman who is not going to college directly from high school will qualify, along with women who want to attend vocational school or enroll in courses for specialized professional training or licensing.”

Ivy, a financial and administrative coordinator at Williams College, said the grant provided a significant boost while she pursued her MBA while also working full-time and raising four children. Concurrently, she served as leader of the DLE’s Programming Committee, which plans and manages professional development workshops for the DLE’s year-round training and networking curriculum.

Ivy Rodriguez Campos, Financial & Administrative Coordinator at Williams College

Scholarship awards support women in Berkshire County who are currently working and also aspire to bolster their careers through continued education. Grants can be used toward tuition, books, travel, childcare or any expenses incurred for college, graduate school, vocational programs, licensing courses or other areas of professional development. Applications can be filled out and submitted online at berkshirebpw.org. Recipients can receive awards of up to $2,500, and selections will be announced in early August.

Hanah said she wants current donors to the BBPW scholarship program, as well as those interested, to know that these are grants that truly make a difference in the lives of recipients. “Every dollar donated allows us to help more women,” she said.

Visit https://berkshirebpw.org/programs/scholarship/ for details on eligibility and how to apply. To donate to the BBPW Scholarship fund, please visit http://tinyurl.com/BBPWdonate.

BBPW is a membership organization, open to all women in the Berkshires. For more information, contact bbpwmembership@gmail.com or visit berkshirebpw.org.