Purpose
The School of Business Professional Development Fund exists to support VCU Business students pursuing professional opportunities such as conferences, hackathons, and case study competitions.
The School of Business Professional Development Fund exists to support VCU Business students pursuing professional opportunities such as conferences, hackathons, and case study competitions.
All VCU Business students are welcome to apply. All students (undergraduate and graduate) must apply individually, but should indicate if they are part of a student organization group that is applying for the same opportunity. You must also be enrolled as a student at VCU Business at the time that the opportunity will take place.
Students are eligible for one award per year not to exceed $2,000. Students are not guaranteed to receive the total amount they apply for. Award amounts will be decided on a case by case basis considering financial need, other sources of funding, and opportunity for professional growth. If you are awarded any funds you will be expected to submit a summary of your experience to the Office of Student Engagement.
This application will require you to upload a budget sheet outlining the funds you are requesting. You can create a copy of the budget template by clicking here. Applications are due 6 weeks prior to the day you need the funds available.
No, we need at least 6 weeks to review your application and process the payment.
Yes, while the application refers to specific events, you can also request funds for other opportunities that further your professional development. Make sure to be detailed in the descriptions of your request so we understand what you’re asking for. If unsure about the eligibility of an opportunity, we recommend reaching out to Cait Burns (cmburns@vcu.edu) before completing the application.
At this time, funding cannot be awarded for VCU tuition or certifications.
No, if you are awarded any sum of money it will be sent to you directly via check. By completing this application you are agreeing to use any funds awarded for the experiences outlined in your application.
We welcome all students in the School of Business to apply. However, the review process will focus on quality of the opportunity, quality of the application, financial need, and opportunity for professional development.
We welcome all students in the School of Business to apply. However, the review process will focus on quality of the opportunity, quality of the application, financial need, and opportunity for professional development. Please note that funding from the VCU School of Business Professional Development Fund is a one-time payment from VCU, not a scholarship. Since the funding will be directly deposited in full to your personal bank account via check or direct deposit so you can utilize it immediately for professional development expenses, the award is considered taxable income. Unlike academic scholarships or other assistance that you may receive via the Office of Financial Aid to attend VCU, the School of Business Professional Development funds are intentionally not routed through your VCU student account to pay tuition and fees, and instead made available for you to use for applicable expenses like registration, travel, and more. A 1099 will be issued to you for any payments you receive of $600 or more in a calendar year. If you have further questions, please contact a tax professional to meet your specific needs.
Yes! Graduate students are welcome to apply for support from the Professional Development Fund.
Each person is awarded funds individually so an application needs to be completed for every person who wants to attend needs to fill out their own application. However, in the application you should indicate that you are applying with other people in the same organization for the same event. We will take this into account when we review your application.
No, if you are no longer pursuing the experience you were awarded funds for you are expected to return the funds to VCU.
VCU Business Students (undergraduate and graduate) can receive this award one time per academic year. Each funding cycle resets on July 1. Remember that you also need to be enrolled as a student at VCU Business at the time that the opportunity will take place.