WEC- WEW Application

Women’s Executive Club’s Board of Directors established the Women Empowering Women program in 1995, providing annual scholarships of $2,500 each to two women. The program was revised in 2001 as follows:

A recipient shall be considered if she meets the following criteria:

1. Have a goal of re-entering the workforce after being absent for a period of time (illness, childrearing, etc.) or furthering her career by taking courses to improve skills.
2. Local resident of South Palm Beach, Broward, North Miami-Dade.
3. Educational goal of a degree from college/university, community college or vocational school.
4. Ability to achieve realistic success.
5. Verifiable references from:
   1. Friends or family
   2. Agencies
   3. Educational institutio
6. Interested in support beyond financial assistance such as networking, mentoring and professional services (legal, accounting, job search, interview techniques).
7. Ability to attend a minimum of one WEC general membership meeting annually.

The program was revised again in 2004 to include:

1. The Board, based on satisfaction of aforementioned criteria, selects candidates.
2. For reimbursement purposes, the program follows WEC’s fiscal year –– August to July.  Expenses that exceed the annual $2,500 can be carried forward into the next fiscal year and reimbursed at that time, providing the program participant is still enrolled in school and active in WEC’s WEW program.
3. Recipients must substantiate all expenditures with receipts. The Board has the right to refuse payment of expenses it deems inappropriate.
4. In the absence of two qualified candidates in any given year, the Board has the discretion of reimbursing up to $5,000 to one recipient.
5. A needs assessment will be conducted by a WEC member (preferably one who has a background in social service; Edie Hoppe performed the assessment for the 2004-05 recipient) to determine where our money can have the greatest impact. (For example, the 2004-05 recipient already had her tuition covered by a Pell Grant. Her other needs included everything from clothing and daycare to office supplies and computer software.)
6. Recipients must maintain a B average.

Recipients are encouraged to attend all WEC functions at no charge. (Funds to support this come from our Scholarship account.)

1. WEW graduates are immediately eligible for full membership in WEC.

The purpose of the Women Empowering Women program is to provide women with the financial, educational, emotional and professional support they need to re-enter or advance in the workplace. WEC members give of their time and talents, at no charge, throughout the recipient’s tenure.

The WEW program helps women gain skill sets for the workplace, self-confidence and the emotional strength necessary to create a more career-oriented, productive and fulfilling life. Our goal is for every WEW participant to eventually become an involved WEC member.