Marketing EDGE has provided amazing scholarship opportunities for over 25 years, to aid students with their financial burdens, so they can focus their time on their academic studies. Between 1994-2021, $804,000 in scholarships has been awarded to 292 student recipients. Here at Kean, one of our very own marketing students was able to be a part of these statistics.
Anastasia Manes received the Delay Fund Scholarship for the Collegiate Summit Online section of the EDGE program. Manes wanted to make it a priority to follow her passions and interests, whilst financing her higher education, which is where Marketing EDGE came in.
Manes explained, “finding an organization like Marketing EDGE has made it possible for me to explore my interests in an extracurricular setting. This scholarship gives me the opportunity to pursue other educational settings in the marketing field outside the classroom, such as internships.”
The Robert DeLay scholarship was awarded in memory of Robert (Bob) F. DeLay served as president of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) for more than 26 years. During his tenure at DMA he worked closely with a core group of top-level professionals to launch Marketing EDGE. In 2002 members of the community joined together to establish the Bob DeLay Scholarship Fund to cover tuition costs of students at colleges and universities nationwide.
After participating in the Marketing EDGE 2021 online summer Collegiate Summit, Manes earned a certificate for her completion of the program and was eligible to apply for their scholarships. She submitted her application online and was shocked to receive an email from the program coordinator that she had won! The Collegiate Summit was international and only one other Kean student was in attendance.
“I am funding my education completely on my own, and that is difficult when you live at least two hours away from campus. This scholarship made it so that I could afford to live on-campus again in the fall 2021 semester as classes returned in person. Additionally, it helped me make more connections at the university, as the College of Business and Public Management in Hynes Hall displayed my photo and my accomplishments on the screens in the building! This award has helped me make a name for myself here at Kean University,” explained Manes.
Unfortunately Marketing EDGE has since disbanded, passing the baton to other nonprofit marketing education organizations after their 56 years in business. They are choosing to have their legacy live on through others’ successes and recommend other organizations that they are investing in to save their vision. Marketing EDGE seized the opportunity to expand their outcomes exponentially by investing in and seeding nonprofit organizations that promise to take the baton.
When asked how it affected her, Manes said, “I was disappointed to hear of the closing of this organization. I, like many other students across the world, was guided and taught by their programs. Not only did they choose me as a scholarship recipient, but I enjoyed learning from the professionals they brought in to speak at the summit I participated in.”
Congratulations to Manes and all of the other scholarship recipients!
