Corporations Will Send You to School

In a world populated by AIGs and Citigroups, it's difficult to believe that corporations can in any way benefit individual members of the public. Even somebody who's been in business for a long time can tell you that it's difficult to see the gigantic multi-national corporations of today as anything besides faceless money-making machines, entirely disconnected from the personal touch that being part of a company used to imply.

In order to combat this perception, many large companies contribute heavily to charity, participate in community outreach programs, and, most importantly, give away scholarships. It's tempting to take a reasonably cynical view that they are only doing this in order to clean up an image that has been sullied by the actions of the bad apples in the corporate world, and to an extent that's true, but there are other reasons to offer to pay for somebody to go to school.

One of these reasons is that it provides for a potential employee in the future. Companies for years have been offering their current employees reimbursement for education in order to encourage them to get better training that can be brought to the company. The difference is that in most cases, there is no obligation for the student to work for or have worked at the company at any point in time with corporate scholarships. That being the case, one could interpret this as a form of advertising for their available positions where they are attempting to woo the client (the student) by going out of their way for him or her. It's less a matter of grooming and more one of providing exemplary service.

Sometimes companies reward students for demonstrating their skill in one field or another. EMAdvisoryCorp.com is offering a minimum of a $35,000 scholarship to any team of 1-5 students who can bring in the most new clients to their site. On top of offering the basic amount, a percentage of new business will be added to the pot, encouraging teams to work even harder to increase their potential earnings. This benefits both students and the company financially and provides a valuable learning experience.

Often it's the case that despite the terrible behavior of CEOs and executives in companies ranging all industries and fields, a corporation legitimately wants to give back. Keep in mind that the people who run these companies are human beings as well, and while they by necessity share our human flaws, they also have the human capacity for kindness, generosity, and understanding. Many have undergone trials in their lives and know the potential hardships involved. They're looking to give back, so take that offer and let them give back to you.

It's not always easy to see past prejudices, but these companies want to help you, so you should take what they're offering. Do some research, find out what companies are giving, and if there's a competition do your absolute best to come out on top. But don't let these opportunities go by, because as you grow older, they only become scarcer.

READ ABOUT THE "CONNECTIONS SCHOLARSHIP" COMPETITION OF 2009