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Helping Student Business Owners Succeed through Scholarships
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
National Small Business Week is here! It’s time to do your part and support the small, local businesses in your community. Why? Small businesses are essential to healthy local economies.
For more than 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week (NSBW) in May to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
At Rio Salado College, celebrating NSBW and entrepreneurship is becoming a tradition.
This is the second year Rio is partnering with the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and the Everyday Entrepreneur Venture Fund (EEVF) to offer student scholarships for small business start-ups.
“Helping students with small business startups is one of the most important parts of my department,” said Dr. Lily Davidov, Faculty Chair for Accounting, Small Business, and Insurance Studies. “Supporting the growth of small business is not only a vital artery of our local, state and national economies, but also a good way to set students up for future success and help them achieve their dreams.”
Rio Salado’s scholarship recipients and their business start-ups are:
- Tara Lopez – Spoiled Dog Kare
- Fannie Hershberger - Citrine Accounting & Taxes, LLC
Both students receive a $2,500 scholarship to further develop their small businesses, as well as one year of advising from the Maricopa Small Business Development Center and coaching from Rio Salado College faculty.
Manny Lucero, Rio Salado Small Business adjunct faculty member and Founder and CEO of Lucero Consulting Group, added, “These young entrepreneurs are the next generation of community leaders. It’s important to nurture their talents and provide guidance as they create businesses that impact the communities in which we live.”
Meet Fannie Hershberger
Hershberger has recently completed two Rio Salado certificate programs - Accounting and Enrolled Agent – although she originally began taking classes at another of the Maricopa Community Colleges.
“I transferred to Rio Salado because my college did not have a class that I needed,” Hershberger said. “I ended up staying because the support system at Rio Salado is just amazing.”
Receiving one of the NACCE scholarships has helped Hershberger get her fledgling accounting business off the ground.
“It means so much to me, especially being in the beginning stages of starting my business,” Hershberger said. “I was struggling with marketing and finances to purchase some of the equipment that I needed to operate.”
“This scholarship not only provided me with money to invest into my business, but also a business mentor which has already opened so many doors for me to grow.”
Specifically, Hershberger used the scholarship funds to purchase a laptop, office equipment, tax software, and marketing materials for her accounting business, “Citrine Accounting & Taxes LLC.”
“I decided to start this business not only because I love numbers and strategizing, but to have the freedom to work for myself while homeschooling my son,” Hershberger said.
In the future, Hershberger hopes to pass the Enrolled Agent exams and become a tax strategist for small businesses and individuals.
Enrolled Agent is a credential that allows tax practitioners to represent taxpayers before the IRS when it comes to collections, audits, and appeals. Find more information here.
Meet Tara Lopez
Lopez has recently completed two certificate programs (Small Business Management and Organizational Leadership) at Rio Salado and will earn her associate degree in organizational management in 2023.
“I chose Rio Salado College as it was a simple process to apply, register, and start courses,” Lopez said. “At first, I was not really sure which degree I wanted to pursue. After my first semester, I met with a counselor who helped me decide on career goals.”
Lopez said receiving a NACCE EVVF scholarship to support her small business was a blessing.
“I have been struggling to expand my business and obtain more clients,” Lopez said. “The scholarship will help my business grow the way I envisioned it and let me provide for my family while doing what I love.”
Lopez runs Spoiled Dog Kare, a dog walking and pet-sitting business. She is a life-long dog lover.
“My dad is a retired police chief, so I was exposed to police dogs my entire life,” Lopez said. “I have also spent eight years volunteering as an administrator for a local German Shepherd rescue.”
She plans to use scholarship funds to help cover the costs for advertising her business and website and insurance expenses.
“I am looking forward to feeling proud of my accomplishment of running my own business and finally graduating college,” Lopez said.