Southern Miss Luckyday Program Director Elected Board President of National Scholarship Providers Association for Second Year
Mon, 01/09/2017 - 02:51pm | By: Van Arnold
Dr. Larry A. Sparkman, director of the Luckyday Citizenship Program at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been elected to a second year as President of the Board of Directors for the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA). Sparkman has been a board member for the past four years serving on various national committees.
The National Scholarship Providers Association is a nonprofit, member association that advances the collective impact of scholarship providers and the scholarships they award. It was established in 1999 by Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Fastweb.com, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and Scholarship America to facilitate the creation of scholarship best practices, encourage professional development, and establish cooperative relationships among scholarship providers.
Today, NSPA is the only national organization dedicated solely to the needs of professionals administering scholarships in post-secondary institutions, private and community foundations, public charities, as well as corporate and government programs. NSPA's 370-plus member organizations from the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas give more than 350,000 scholarships amounting to over $1 billion each year.
“I am excited and honored to serve for a second year as President of the National Scholarship Providers Association as we continue to build upon our mission of advancing the collective impact of scholarship providers by supporting scholarship professionals and the students they serve,” said Sparkman. “The National Scholarship Providers Association is a unique and leading voice working for college success for students through scholarships.”
Sparkman has served as the Director of the Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Scholars Program since 2006. The program began in 2001 when the Luckyday Foundation, founded by the late Frank R. Day of Jackson, Miss., announced that it would fund 400 scholarships worth $1,600,000 annually to Southern Miss.
The foundation's gift funds scholarships for Mississippi high school seniors who demonstrate leadership skills, who are exemplary students, who are involved in their communities, and need financial assistance to pursue a higher education at The University of Southern Mississippi.
For more information about the Luckyday Program, call 601.266.5981 or visit: http://www.usm.edu/luckyday