by: Janet Schiesl

Attending the NAPO retreat is like vacationing with your “tribe”. – 2018 Conference Scholarship Recipient

For the next 9 months you will be hearing “See you in Fort Worth” a lot. Going to the NAPO conference can be exhilarating for you personally and for your business. If you are thinking that attending the 2019 NAPO Conference is not affordable because you have suffered a financial or personal setback this year, I’d like you to consider applying for the Barry Izsak/Glorya Schklair Conference Scholarship.

What makes NAPO conference special is the unique combination of continuing education & connection. While NAPO offers other opportunities for education and networking, only conference has the perfect blend of both. I truly believe that conference is the best way to get the most out of your NAPO membership. – 2018 Conference Scholarship Recipient

I am Janet Schiesl and as the new chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, I’d like to announce that the application process has begun for the 2019 NAPO Conference Scholarship. I’d like to take a moment to give you a few highlights about the 2019 scholarships.

• Because of the generosity of NAPO members, the scholarship fund is strong, which may allow many colleagues to be recipients. Did you know that eight scholarships were awarded for the 2018 Retreat?
• For 2019 each scholarship recipient will receive the conference registration plus up to two nights basic hotel expenses at the conference hotel.
• The deadline to apply for the scholarship is November 29, 2018.

We are looking for people who are “All In”. Financial hardship is one of the criteria to apply for the scholarship, but holding a great deal of weight in our decision is “Service to NAPO” as well. A great deal of this fabulous organization is run by volunteers. Do you know that NAPO has 16 committees on the national level and 32 chapters? So there are countless opportunities to share your talents with your colleagues and the organization that many of us agree, was a big factor in our successful businesses. Whether you participate on the national or local level, NAPO needs you and the scholarship committee holds all your volunteer time in high regard when appraising applications.

The Conference was everything I hoped for, and more and I returned home supported by all the positivity and support from all these wonderful colleagues, as well as inspired by all the opportunities that this business provides. – 2018 Conference Scholarship Recipient

I have one new and noteworthy detail about the application process. We have gone digital! By doing so, the application process has gotten easier and more streamline. The link to the application is located on POINT, under the Career Growth tab select Scholarship Fund and you’ll find the link to the application at the bottom. When you open the application, you’ll see all the information you’ll need, including the eligibility criteria and the application instructions. You’ll be able to save your application while in progress and go back to it later to complete. You’ll be able to submit your three letters of recommendation, by downloading PDFs or DOCs and you’ll be able to paste your personal essay directly into the application. By going digital, we hope that we have simplified the process for all applicants.

I came home from the NAPO2018 Retreat with a treasure trove of knowledge and the inspiration to grow my business in ways that I hadn’t felt confident in before. I met many amazing people and made valuable connections with other professional organizers who feel as passionate about the industry as I do.   – 2018 Conference Scholarship Recipient

So finally, I’d like to see you to the NAPO 2019 Conference. Your NAPO colleagues want you to attend! A financial hardship doesn’t have to stop you. The Barry Izsak/Glorya Schklair Conference Scholarship is available for several deserving NAPO members.

If you have questions about the scholarship, please contact me at Janet@BasicOrganization.com.

Janet Schiesl

NAPO Conference Scholarship Committee Chair