by Sheri Schultis

January 23, 2010

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU (BBB) FOUNDATION IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR $2,000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

 Better Business Bureau Foundation, serving Nebraska, South Dakota and southwest Iowa, is now taking applications for the 2009 Scott Mecham BBB Student of Integrity Award scholarships worth $2,000. Three scholarships will be awarded to students who reside in the geographic area served by the BBB. These scholarships were established to honor the memory of Mr. Mecham who served as the BBB president from 1991 until January 2006.

"High school juniors and seniors are invited to apply for these prestigious awards," said Jim Hegarty, president and chief executive officer of the BBB. "Unlike many other scholarships, grades and ethnicity are not major components of choosing the Student of Integrity Award winners. This award recognizes students' understanding of ethics and demonstrated commitment to honesty and accountability inside and outside of the classroom."

Independent panels of judges from the academic and business communities in Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux Falls will select the scholarship recipients. Scholarship applicants must be nominated by their high school teachers, principals, guidance counselors or community leaders. The application materials, including an essay and letters of recommendation, must be sent to a BBB office by March 6, 2009. The scholarship recipients will be announced in April and recognized at one of the BBB's Business Integrity Award luncheons in September.

The 2008 Student of Integrity Award Scholarship winners were:
- Molly Ann Soholt, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Kelsey Jo Bigando, Omaha, Nebraska
- Katherine Rose Erickson, Wauneta, Nebraska

To access more detailed information about these awards, the application guide, application form and nomination form visit www.bbbnebraska.org and click on the Student of Integrity Awards Information under the “announcement” section.