The IFMA Foundation has opened the application process for its 2021 scholarship program. Supported by the IFMA Foundation, together with International Facility Management Association (IFMA) chapters and councils and the facility management (FM) community, the program provides financial aid to aspiring and practicing facility managers enrolled in FM or FM-related higher-education programs. Since 1991, more than US$1.7 million has been awarded to more than 500 FM professionals.
“The only constant over the last year was change, as companies and educational institutions were forced to rethink and transition to the digital world. FM degree programs, both new and mature, seized the opportunity to offer talented FM students the educational excellence deserved. The IFMA Foundation continues to engage these students and develop scholarship, internship, mentorship and educational program opportunities to support and build the future of FM,” said Joe Archie, IFMA Foundation chair.
Individual scholarships range in value from US$1,500 to US$10,000 and are awarded to undergraduate (2- and 4-year) and graduate students. These scholarships change students’ lives and are a principal strategy for creating the next generation of FM professionals.
In addition to the financial award, scholarship recipients receive complimentary registration to IFMA’s World Workplace 2021 Conference and Expo, giving students the opportunity to network and build relationships with leading FM professionals and interview with IFMA Foundation Global Workforce Initiative Advisors and Partners, including Sodexo, ABM, JLL, FM:Systems and A&A Maintenance.
Award recipients also participate in the IgniteFM! Student Challenge, in which students are divided into teams and given time to solve a complex facility management problem. Sponsored and managed by FM:Systems, the challenge gives each team an opportunity to present their solution, which is judged by FM professionals. The winning team receives a financial prize and global recognition of their accomplishment.
The 2021 scholarship application and guidelines may be found online at https://foundation.ifma.org/students/scholarships/. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2021.