International Scholarship and Tuition Services Marks Five Years As Certified Women-Owned Business
ISTS administers scholarship, grant and tuition programs serving more than 500,000 applicants worldwide
Nashville, TN (PRWeb) May 6, 2013
International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), a provider of full-service scholarship, grant and tuition program management, celebrates five years as a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) this year.
Nashville-based ISTS achieves its WBE certification through the Women’s Business Enterprise Council South, ISTS’ regional affiliate of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. The WBEC South network includes WBEs and corporate partners located in Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.
ISTS underwent a thorough accreditation process to earn the WBE certification. This process confirms that the business is owned, managed and controlled by women and meets qualifying criteria including U.S. citizenship status, independence, capital, management and minimum percent of ownership.
ISTS was founded in 1985 as Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc. (SPA). President and CEO Becky Sharpe purchased the company in 2008 and changed its name to better reflect the company’s comprehensive portfolio of services and international presence. Sharpe maintains complete ownership of ISTS as well as majority ownership of Collegiate Sports Data, a college recruiting data company she purchased in 2011. According to Sharpe, WBE certification is an important part of the strategic plans for her companies.
“I am so grateful to the many mentors I have had who encouraged and supported me to purchase my businesses. At 21, I was fortunate to work for Shirley Zeitlin (of Zeitlin and Co. Realtors) whose door was always open and who exuded professionalism,” said Sharpe. “My only regret is that my grandmother, who was the first woman in her medical school class and was forced to drop out after she got married, is not here to appreciate the many positive changes in women’s roles in the professional world.”
ISTS was recognized for hitting the 5-year milestone at the WBEC South’s 14th Annual Women’s Business Opportunity Expo held earlier this month in New Orleans. The WBEC South honors all WBEs that reach 5- and 10-year milestones.
Since 2008, Sharpe has also served as an “Established Business Owner” voting member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), an organization that represents women entrepreneurs from various industries across the United States. .
About International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc.
Founded in 1985, International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. provides comprehensive scholarship, grant and tuition program management. ISTS is a 100% women-owned company, focused on offering cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions to corporations, foundations, associations, unions and other scholarship-granting organizations worldwide. For more information about ISTS, visit http://www.applyists.com.
