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Since 1989, the Program has Delivered More than $1.8 Million to the Families of Self-Employed Americans — and Three of this Year's Five Recipients Plan to Build Businesses of Their Own
DALLAS, TX –The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation's leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, today awarded $15,000 in scholarships to five dependents of NASE members — including three who are heading to college with plans to start or expand a business of their own.
“Every year these applications tell us something about where the next generation is headed, and this year the answer is unmistakable — they want to build something of their own,” said John Hearrell, Vice President of Membership and Affiliate Programs at the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). “While our program is open to all dependents seeking any type of further education, we are thrilled that three of our five recipients are going to college with plans to expand a family business or start one from scratch. Our members know exactly what that road looks like, because they're already on it. Helping these students get the education to walk it is one of the most meaningful things this association does. 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 fuel our economy building strong, supportive families.”
The NASE Dependent Scholarship Program is a competitive, merit-based award that recognizes students for academic excellence, leadership, community engagement and extracurricular achievement. Awarded to dependents of NASE members, it helps ease the financial burden of tuition and other costs associated with attending college.
This year’s NASE Dependent Scholarship Program winners are:
Paul Zyskowski, Port St. Lucie, Florida. Paul will use the scholarship to attend Florida State University where he plans to major in Business Management with the ultimate goal of leading and expanding his family’s construction business.
Jenna Becker, Las Vegas, Nevada. Jenna will use the scholarship to attend Augustana College where she plans to major in Art and Psychology with the ultimate goal of earning a master’s degree and becoming a professional artist working with special-needs students.
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 a three-time NASE Dependent Scholarship recipient, previously awarded in 2024 and 2025.
Kaitlyn Lee, McLean, Virginia. Kaitlyn will use the scholarship to attend Harvard University where she plans to major in Economics and Computer Science with the ultimate goal of becoming a technology entrepreneur.
Spencer Hirsch, Charlotte, North Carolina. Spencer will use the scholarship to attend Cornell University where he plans to major in Electrical and Computer Engineering with the ultimate goal of working for a major employer such as Lockheed Martin or Microsoft before transitioning to entrepreneurship.
“When a self-employed small business owner sits down to figure out how to pay for college, there's no employer tuition benefit waiting for them, no company match, no predictable paycheck to plan around. That's the reality for millions of micro-business owners, and it's why this program exists. Since 1989, the NASE has awarded more than $1.8 million to help our members’ children and dependents reach graduation day. It won't cover everything — but for a family running a business on their own terms, it lightens the burden,” concluded Hearrell.
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 estimating the costs of business ownership, the NASE also offers a series of financial calculators for budgeting and financial analysis.
To speak with John Hearrell about the 2026 NASE Dependent Scholarship recipients and/or program, please contact Kristofer Eisenla at [email protected]
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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. Members can also apply for Growth Grants of up to $4,000 to fund specific business needs and Dependent Scholarships of up to $3,000 to support their families’ educational goals.
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.