National Association for the Self-Employed Awards $15,000 in Scholarships to Five College Students for their Academic Studies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 18, 2025
CONTACT: Kristofer Eisenla, LUNA+EISENLA
BACK TO SCHOOL 2025
Since 1989, Over $2 Million has Been Awarded in Scholarships to Help Defray the Cost of Higher Education as part of the NASE Dependent Scholarship Program
DALLAS, TX – As student’s prepare to head back to school, the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) , the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, today announced it is awarding $15,000 in educational scholarships to five dependents of current NASE members, each granted $3,000 for their academic studies.
“As more Americans pursue the economic freedom of self-employment, many are also grappling with the rising cost of higher education for their children or dependents,” said John Hearrell, Vice President of Membership and Affiliate Programs at the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). “The NASE Dependent Scholarship is a competitive, merit-based award that recognizes students for their academic excellence, leadership, community engagement, and extracurricular achievements. Our goal is to help ease the financial burden of tuition while also empowering the next generation of leaders. We’re incredibly proud of the contributions our self-employed and small business members make every day to power America’s middle-class and drive our economy forward while building strong, supportive families.”
The NASE Dependent Scholarship Program
This year’s NASE Dependent Scholarship Program winners are :
Liliana Mulchy, Clinton, New York. Liliana will use the scholarship to attend Rollins College where she plans to major in Business with the ultimate goal of owning her own salon where she can hire individuals with disabilities and break down barriers.
Joseph Whooley, La Cañada Flintridge, California. Joseph will use the scholarship to attend Louisiana State University where he plans to major in Animal Sciences with the ultimate goal of becoming a veterinarian. Joseph is also a 2024 Dependent Scholarship winner.
Kenzie Huck, Prosper, Texas. Kenzie will use the scholarship to attend University of Texas at Austin where she plans to major in Civil Engineering with the ultimate goal of bringing into existence elaborate structures capable of spanning many lifetimes.
Alexander Duquette, Staunton, Virginia. Alexander will use the scholarship to Attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University where he plans to major in Engineering with the ultimate goal of working on projects that support rural development, clean energy, and community-focused innovation.
Denivia Rivera, Bronx, New York. Denivia will use the scholarship to attend Hofstra University where she plans to major in Journalism and Dance with the ultimate goal of pursuing a career path in journalism and dance simultaneously.
“Over the past 35 years, the NASE has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to help support the children and dependents of our self-employed members,” continued Hearrell. “Our Dependent Scholarship program continues to ease the financial strain of higher education—a burden that’s only grown heavier in recent years. For self-employed Americans and micro-business owners working hard to sustain and grow their businesses, rising tuition costs can take a serious toll on both family finances and long-term business goals. This scholarship is one way we help lighten that load.”
This award-winning program is open to legal dependents of NASE Members, ages 16-24. To apply, students need to be high school students or college undergraduates planning to enroll in college for the upcoming fall semester. Consideration is based upon:
Leadership abilities Academic performance Teacher recommendations Career and educational background School and community participation Financial need To become a member of NASE, apply online here.
Further information about the NASE Dependent Scholarship Program can be viewed, here . For more information on additional scholarships and grants available from NASE, please click here.
NASE members also enjoy a comprehensive list of benefits designed to help small business owners and sole proprietors start and grow their business. A complete listing of benefits available to NASE members is available, here . NASE members are offered a host of resources designed to help support entrepreneurs and small employers including access to professional “Ask the Experts” services in tax, health care and marketing, a navigational assistant health care portal , scholarships and grants, discounts on shipping rates and office supplies, and affordable email marketing systems and webhosting services. NASE’s newest member benefits continue the tradition of providing real-world, bottom-line assistance to small business owners. To help new and existing business owners with the estimating the costs of business ownership, the NASE also offers a series of financial calculators for budgeting and financial analysis.
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The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) is the nation's leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses, offering a broad range of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and to drive the continued growth of this vital segment of the American economy.
The NASE NextBizThing helps identify and connect our nation’s smallest businesses. Need small business help? Check out NASE’s Ask the Experts for advice or the NASE Minute for small business support. To help new and existing business owners with the costs of business ownership, the NASE also offers a series of financial calculators for budgeting and financial analysis.
The NASE is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit organization and provides big-business advantages to hundreds of thousands of micro-businesses across the United States. For more information, visit the association's website at NASE.org