The NACS Foundation Scholarship

One of the initiatives under our Future Fund program is the NACS Foundation Scholarship. This serves to fund the development and growth of convenience store employees and their family members by investing in their education with our industry’s support.

Many of our convenience industry leaders began at the store level. Through hard work and commitment to learning, these employees followed career paths to senior leadership positions. Since 1994, the NACS Foundation Scholarship has provided convenience and fuel retailers a way to retain, reward, and develop the next generation of industry innovators within their companies.

About

Timeline

Eligibility

Apply Now

Nominate

About

For nearly 30 years, the NACS Foundation has provided scholarships to industry employees to fuel the next generation of industry leaders from within our member companies.

The NACS Foundation Scholarship Program honors industry icon Jim Yates, founder of E-Z Mart Stores, former NACS Chairman of the Board, and a pioneer in the industry. In 1999, Altria Distribution Group’s donation expanded the program to honor David Erickson, former CEO of Erickson Oil Products.

Scholarship Award

Selected applicants are awarded $3,000 each toward the cost of tuition at undergraduate or community college education. In addition, scholarship recipients receive a stipend to attend the NACS Show—the only global event for all things convenience—where they will be recognized during a special evening ceremony and given the first-hand opportunity to learn more about exciting career paths in the industry.

Receiving Scholarship Funds

Two separate scholarship checks will be mailed to the recipient’s home address, made payable only to the scholarship recipient’s college or university. The first awards payment will be issued in August for $1,500 and the second payment of $1,500 will be distributed in December.

Scholarships are awarded by the NACS Foundation, a 501(c)3, which serves as a point of centralization and catalyzation—amplifying the reach, resonance, and impact of our convenience, supplier, and fuel retail members’ tremendous charitable efforts.

Timeline

Follow our 2023-2024 Scholarship Award timeline to track progress.

February 2023

2023-24 NACS Foundation Scholarship Program period opens.

Extended to June 26, 2023

Submission period for 2023-24 NACS Foundation Scholarship Program closes.

Week of July 3, 2023

Applicant award notification date for 2023-24 NACS Foundation Scholarship status.

August 2023

First award payment in the amount of $1,500 mailed to 2023-24 NACS Foundation Scholarship recipients.

October 3-6, 2023

2023 NACS Show in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. NACS Foundation Scholarship Recipient Awards Ceremony to be held one evening during the show.

December 2023

Second and final award payment in the amount of $1,500 mailed to 2023-24 NACS Foundation Scholarship recipients.

Eligibility

The NACS Foundation Scholarship is open to those who meet the following requirements for the 2023-2024 period:

  • Applicants must be currently employed at a NACS retail member company.
  • Applicants must continue working for the nominating company throughout the scholarship period.
  • Applicants must be enrolled or will be enrolled in fall 2023 undergraduate academic studies. Applicants must continue enrollment for the full academic year without interruption.

Responsibility of Scholarship Recipients

  • Recipients must enroll as full-time undergraduate college students and must continue enrollment for the entire academic year without interruption, barring illness, emergency, or military service.
  • Recipients must remain an employee of the NACS member company for the entire period of the award.
  • Recipients are responsible for ensuring the scholarship checks are delivered to the correct office at their college or university.
  • Recipients must notify the NACS Foundation if they transfer college or university or if they are no longer employed by the company

Important Notes

  • Scholarships are one-year awards. If scholarship recipients continue to meet the eligibility requirements, scholarship recipients may re-apply each year, for up to four years.
  • The scholarships will be applied to tuition expenses at any accredited college or university in the United States and are only made payable to the institution.
  • Recipients may transfer from one college or university to another and retain the award.

Apply Now

Start The 2023/2024 Scholarship Process Today!

To be considered for a scholarship, a candidate must complete an official NACS Foundation Scholarship application, which consists of the following three (3) parts:

  1. Applicant Data and Questionnaire
  2. Applicant Essay (two pages, maximum)
  3. Nomination Form, to be completed by a supervisory employee / senior official within the company

2023/2024 Applications must be received by Monday, June 5, 2023

Download the 2023/2024 Application

Need help or have questions?

Reach out to the NACS Foundation team by email at [email protected].

Nominate

The NACS Foundation invites convenience and fuel retailers to nominate the next generation of industry innovators within their companies to compete for the 2023-2024 NACS Foundation Scholarship.

A Nomination Form must be completed by a supervisory employee/senior official within the company for the application to be accepted.

To access the nomination form, download the 2023-2024 NACS Foundation Scholarship application (PDF) and complete Part 3 – Nomination Form, located on pages 6 and 7. In addition, the applicant you are nominating must complete the remainder of the application packet. Once the packet is complete, follow the submission instruction located on page 8.

Please email [email protected] with any questions about the nomination or submission process.

2022-2023 Scholarship Recipients

  • Angelina Fox, Team Member, Heritages Dairy Stores; Rowan University
  • Tatiana Landin Garcia, Accoounts Payable Coordinator, Nouria Energy Corporation
  • Alexandria Holton, Team Member, Heritages Dairy Stores; Georgian Court University
  • Jake Manske, Operations Assistant, Jack’s Companies; The University of St. Thomas
  • Matthew McDonnell, Detail Customer Advisor 2, Delta Sonic Car Wash; The University of Iowa
  • Abby Scheeler, Food Service, The Hub Convenience Stores; The University of Mary