Larson Scholarship

The Lester Center wishes to thank Jack Larson for his recent generous gift, which will be used for student fellowships for both graduate and undergraduate Haas students interested in an entrepreneurial career.

Information on Undergraduate Scholarships
Information on Graduate Scholarships
Current Recipients
About Jack Larson

Information on Graduate Scholarships

The graduate scholarship recipients for this year have been selected and notified by the MBA admissions office.

Information on Undergraduate Scholarships

The Jack Larson Scholarship has been established to support undergraduate Haas students in their entrepreneurial efforts. Three to five awards of $2500-5000 each will be given to outstanding undergraduate students interested in entrepreneurship and who have shown a great need for support because of family hardship or who have overcome obstacles to be admitted to Haas. A faculty & staff committee will make the selections based on academic achievements, entrepreneurial experience, career goals, and financial need.

Criteria for Jack Larson Undergraduate Scholarship

Students must have at least semester of study remaining towards their undergraduate degree. A faculty & staff committee will make the selections based on academic achievements, entrepreneurial experience, career goals, and financial need.

Financial need will be a factor in final selection. Candidates must demonstrate financial need or indicate if they will be receiving support from other sources, i.e., fellowships, work, grants, etc. It is the intention of the fellowships that any awarded funds be applied towards the student's direct educational expenses (i.e., tuition, books, etc.).

Application Information for Jack Larson Undergraduate Scholarship

Your completed application should contain:

Resume – Please include an updated copy of your resume that includes the following information: Full Name, Mailing Address, City/State/Zip Code, Contact Phone Number, and Email.
Two Letters of Recommendation - The recommendations should specifically evaluate your entrepreneurial qualities; at least one should be from an instructor. Both letters are to be submitted in a sealed and signed envelope.
Statement of Interest in an Entrepreneurial Career & Financial Need
1. Describe your career goals and entrepreneurial aspirations, as well as the contributions of your undergraduate program, specifically entrepreneurship courses and entrepreneurship activities to the fulfillment of your goals. Indicate how the fellowship will help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
2. Please demonstrate your financial need or indicate if you are or will be receiving support from other sources, i.e., fellowships, work, grants, etc. Please limit your response to two pages, single-spaced, in 12-point font with one inch margins.
If applicable, please include a copy of your Financial Aid Statement.

Application Deadlines

Applications are due Friday, October 30, 2009 at the Lester Center by 5:00 PM. Submit all materials in a single 9" x 12" envelope. They may be sent by US post, private carrier, or dropped off at the reception desk at The Lester Center (F450) at the Haas School. Please retain a copy of your application. Application materials or copies will not be returned to the applicant.
The recipients will be notified in early December and will have the opportunity to meet Mr. Larson at a later date, in addition to being recognized at the Lester Center Annual Dinner in May 2010.

Current Recipients of the Larson Scholarships

Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients for 2010:

to be announced in early December

Graduate Scholarship Recipients for 2010:

Amanda Walker Murnane, MBA 2010
Raimundo Silva, MBA 2010
Bryan Mao, MBA 2011

Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients for 2009:

Justin Amey
Doreen Bloch
Ashley Pao
Mario Alejandro Restrepo
Eugene Shenkar
Cailin Trinh

Graduate Scholarship Recipients for 2009:

Amanda Walker Murnane
Raimundo Silva

About Jack Larson

Dan Turner

John M. Larson is the sole sponsor of the Larson Fellowships.

In 1994, Larson founded Career Education Corporation, currently the one of the largest for-profit education companies in the United States. Under his leadership, the company's annual revenues surpassed $2 billion in less than 12 years, and achieved a compound annual growth rate of 44 percent in the last five years. Career Education Corporation was ranked fourth on FORTUNE magazine's 2003 list of the 100 Fastest-Growing Companies, and first in the for-profit sector. CEC also ranked in the Top 20 of the 2003 "Hot Growth Companies" as measured by BusinessWeek magazine. Larson's guidance drove the acquisition of gold standard brands such as Brooks Institute of Photography and Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America and the expansion of on-site and online educational offerings throughout the U.S., France, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Canada. In 2000, Larson was named Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" for the Illinois and northwestern Indiana region in the service category. Larson has recently been named as one of the first inductees to the Hall of Fame at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

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