Meeting Professionals International, the premier global association community for meeting and event professionals, believes in the unequalled power of events and human connections to advance organizational objectives.

MPI Foundation Scholarship Program

Deadlines for applications are March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.

Applicants MUST be a member of MPI in order to apply.

Read the MPI Foundation Scholarship Q&A before you apply.

If you have any questions or if we can help you further, please email grants@mpiweb.org .

NOTE: To enable you to succeed, we recommend you carefully study all of the information below and the MPI Foundation Scholarship Q&A.

HelmsBriscoe Meeting Planner NEW Membership Scholarship Application

Disney Destinations NEW Membership Scholarship Program Application

MPI Programs
MPI Foundation Scholarship Application

Three Categories of Funds

The following gives critical information for the three “categories” of scholarship money. Each category is followed by the individual scholarship funds in that category.

It is important for you to understand the differences between the funds before completing your actual application. For example: if you are a planner enrolled in school and pursuing a degree, you qualify for Category I - If you are a supplier or planner, attending school or another program, you qualify for scholarships in Category II or III. Based on your application, we make the final determination as to which fund.

CATEGORY I – College Education Funding is money designated for college work towards undergraduate or graduate degrees and requires acceptance in a program of study.

The application deadline for the next major funding for the academic year is September 30. However, additional money could be available in the fund, so applications are accepted throughout the year. Application for these scholarships must be made a minimum of three (3) months early so as to meet your needed deadline. For example: If you are attending a winter semester, you must submit your application three (3) months minimum before you need to know if you received an award. Please see the following for specific qualifications for our current Category I scholarship fund.

CATEGORY II - General Leadership Education or Academic Funding is money designated for knowledge/education sought inside or outside the traditional academic institution. Examples of this education would be college courses for suppliers as well as planners, executive development programs, or industry-specific leadership programs like Certification in Meeting Planning (CMP) or MPI’s Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) program. If applying for the CMM, applicants must be pre-accepted into the program. Read About the CMM Program

If money is available, applications are accepted and processed quarterly. Application must be made a minimum of three (3) months early so as to meet your needed deadline. For example: If you are attending a fall program, you must submit your application three (3) months minimum before it is needed. Please see below for specific qualifications for the current scholarship funds.

CATEGORY III – MPI Programs is money designated specifically for leadership, career and educational opportunities offered exclusively by MPI itself. These would include tuition awards for such programs as MPI’s well known Institutes program - and fees for first-time attendance at MPI conferences.

If money is available, applications are processed quarterly. Application must be made a minimum of three (3) months early so as to meet your needed deadline. For example: If you are attending a winter program, you must submit your application three (3) months minimum before it is needed.

 The Jim Fausel Memorial Scholarship has been created in partnership with Meeting Professionals International Foundation to honor the memory of James (Jim) A. Fausel, Sr., an esteemed member of Meeting Professionals International and other organizations dedicated to the hospitality profession. This scholarship is applicable to students and industry professionals wishing to further their professional pursuits through higher education or certification. Each quarter, one scholarship will be awarded to a college student for academic related activities and one scholarship will be awarded to an industry professional wishing to take the MPI CMP Online Study Guide Program, with the goal of achieving a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.

Jim Fausel was an active member of MPI for over 25 years and had been in the meetings industry for 32 years representing government, non-profit and religious organizations. Jim was the past President of the Arizona Chapter of MPI and the local chapter of SGMP, while being an active member of PCMA, RCMA, ASAE and IAHMP.

In addition to his many years of meeting planning and training experience, he had written several training manuals for Boards of Directors, meeting planners and paraprofessionals on various skill building programs. During his time as a meeting planner, Jim organized over 1500 training programs and meetings for boards, corporations and national and international government agencies. Jim was recognized by MPI as Meeting Planner of the Year in 1988 and 1994 and received SGMP's President's award of excellence in 1991. He was appointed by the Convention Liaison Council as MPI's representative to the CMP Board for three years and in 1995 was the first North American to receive the coveted certification in International Meeting Management, the CMM designation.

In his final years, Jim acted as faculty for Arizona State University's Meetings Management degree program, was the catalyst behind MPI's online CMP certification program and had built his company, Global Conference Associates, later meet GCA, into a provider of international meetings, conference and travel management recognizing the needs of the international meetings community and the changing corporate landscape and market share opportunities.

After a short battle with Colon Cancer, Jim passed away in October 2008, leaving behind a legacy of education, training, and mentoring for future leaders in the industry to follow. It is with great pleasure that we have made available a scholarship supported by the MPI Foundation to remember the contributions in the education and certification field within the meetings and hospitality industry. All industry members, whether in college or looking to grow their knowledge base through additional certification after having been in the field for many years, are welcome to apply and benefit from the mentoring and leadership that Jim Fausel worked tirelessly to provide his students.

MPI Foundation Scholarship Success

Click here to read about how the MPI Foundation Scholarship helped an MPI member.

MPI Foundation Scholarship Presentation to UNLV at WEC Las Vegas 2008

In Picture: Katie Callahan-Giobbi; Rita Plaskett, CMP, CMM, President of agendum;
Sarah Levin, UNLV Student; Mao Tada, UNLV Student; Andrew Kao, UNLV Student; Michelle Woorman, UNLV Student

MPI Foundation Scholarship Presentation to University of Georgia at MeetDifferent Atlanta 2009

In Picture: Katie Callahan-Giobbi; Rita Plaskett, CMP, CMM, President of agendum;
Denise Logan, University of Georgia; Connie Bergeron, University of Georgia