ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Many of the current leaders of the convenience store industry got their start at the store level. Through hard work and commitment to learning, these individuals followed the career paths of the industry to positions of senior leadership.

Since its founding in 1998, the NACS Scholarship Program has awarded 84 scholarships totaling $255,000.

The NACS Scholarship Program in Memory of Jim Yates and in Memory of David Erickson assists developing retail leaders by providing them with $3,000 for costs of undergraduate career education, as well as attendance to the NACS Show.

Only students who are a current full- or part-time employee of a NACS retail member company are eligible for the scholarship. The student must be enrolled for the fall 2011 semester at any accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical institution, and continue to be enrolled for the entire year.

The deadline to submit applications for the 2011 NACS Scholarship is Friday, June 3. Print an application packet today! Companies may nominate multiple applicants for scholarships. Award winners will be notified by the end of June.

For additional information about applying for the NACS Scholarship Program, contact Jenn Makarsky.

If you or your company would like to donate to the NACS Scholarship Fund in Memory of Jim Yates and David Erickson, click here to download a contribution form. For additional information regarding corporate contributions, contact Derek Gaskins at (703) 518-4236.