THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF BPW/FL

History: The Education Foundation of the Florida Federation of Business & Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (BPW/FL Education Foundation) was organized in 1965 as a 501(c)(3). Its purpose is to make available to young women an opportunity to pursue higher learning. The Education Foundation established scholarship houses for deserving female students in Tallahassee and Boca Raton.

In addition to the Scholarship Houses, the Education Foundation also provides direct financial scholarships to students at St. Petersburg College.  In January 2017, the Z. Ray Ross Business and Professional Women’s Clubs/FL Nursing Housing Scholarship was created with the Florida Nurses Association for young women attending the University of North Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville.

FAU Scholarship House: Built in 1996, the Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship House (BPWSH) is an on-campus residence hall at FAU. The house was established for women with strong academic promise that are in need of outside financial assistance in order to attend Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. BPWSH is a cooperative living environment, where the 17 residents are responsible for all house operations, including finances, cleaning, purchasing and preparing food. BPW statewide contributions help these women develop life skills, share leadership experience and community responsibilities.

The FAU Department of Housing and Residential Education oversees the BPWSH, but a group of elected officers within the house runs the day-to-day operations. To be considered as a resident, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA and $1,500 in unmet financial need. Rather than paying thousands of dollars per semester to live in a traditional residence hall, women in the house pay $500 per semester.