Purposeful Philanthropy: Spherion’s Sandy Mazur Scholarship

As part of Spherion’s mission to better the communities we call home, our franchise network is proud to assist the next generation of leaders as they continue their education through our annual Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship! 

Established in 2019, the scholarship was founded in honor of Spherion’s former president Sandy Mazur to support the future careers of people who demonstrate the qualities that Mazur embodied each day during her distinguished 18-year career at Spherion. Her unwavering passion to make a difference in the lives of others continues to resonate among the hundreds of local Spherion franchisees nationwide. 

The scholarship has also become a way for franchisees to build connections in their communities with schools, community colleges, and other educational institutions.

Each year, the Spherion franchisee network comes together to celebrate Mazur’s impact by donating to the scholarship fund and keeping her “pay it forward” mentality at the forefront of our staffing and recruiting community. During the scholarship’s third year, Spherion awarded $2,500 to three 2022 high school graduates – Jacob Reeder, Elizabeth Wunderlich and Emma Schultz. Each Spherion scholarship winner stood out among hundreds of applicants for personal, academic and service achievements during their high school career. 

Emma Schultz, Midland, MI

Emma is pursuing a dual degree in international business and marketing at Central Michigan University. Her successful application for the Sandy Mazur Scholarship was partly a result of the Spherion Midland team’s determined efforts to raise Spherion’s local profile by promoting this scholarship opportunity among area schools.

“Emma Schultz was actually the second scholarship winner from Midland in two years, and she was very deserving of this recognition for her dedication to being a young leader in the community!” said Kathy Weaver, Spherion franchise owner in Midland, Michigan. “[Giving out a second scholarship] was especially rewarding, because our marketing department worked hard to make this a special surprise for Emma. 

“Getting Emma to the office for an additional round of questions was not easy,” Weaver continued. “She came with questions for us and was very curious as to why the interview was taking place. One of our team members hid with a confetti gun as each of us practiced our roles. In the end, the surprise turned out beautifully. We were still finding confetti in our office from the event in July!”

Jacob Reeder, League City, TX

Jacob is studying parks and recreation plus sports management at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. Because he was on a volunteer trip at the time, he met with Spherion League City franchisees Sabbath and Edem Ekene over a video call to learn he had won $2,500 for his education. But the celebration was still palpable across the internet fiber cable.

“When we found out there was a winner in our market, the joy we both felt was immeasurable and we knew this was meant to be. Our scholarship winner, Jacob, was so giving and his parents raved about how servitude and leadership were his best qualities,” said Sabbath Ekene, franchise owner of Spherion League City. 

“This scholarship is so special, because it empowers young leaders to expand their horizons through additional learning opportunities,” Ekene explains. “Giving back is part of our culture, and paying it forward is the currency. Through the Sandy Mazur Scholarship, we empower the next generation of leaders to work hard and never give up on their dreams.”

[Blockquote: “Giving back is part of our culture, and paying it forward is the currency. Through the Sandy Mazur Scholarship, we empower the next generation of leaders to work hard and never give up on their dreams.”]

Elizabeth Wunderlich, Owatonna, MN

Wunderlich is putting her scholarship towards a degree in pediatric oncology at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Former Owatonna franchisee Ann Miller had the pleasure of presenting Wunderlich with her scholarship. Since then, former Spherion colleague Laura Brady has taken ownership of the Owatonna office and looks forward to continuing the branch’s community-minded outreach for this initiative and other philanthropic activities throughout the year.

The Sandy Mazur Scholarship has become an important tool through which Spherion franchisees can connect with local schools and begin cultivating a pipeline of future talent. More important than the brand equity the scholarship creates for our franchisees, however, is the path forward that the funds help build for members of our communities. 

Celebrating accomplishments and empowering the next generation of leaders as they prepare for successful and fulfilling careers are just two of the ways Spherion betters the communities our franchise owners serve. For more information about participating in meaningful philanthropy as a Spherion franchise, connect with our team today!