International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS) provides comprehensive management services for scholarship, grant, and tuition programs on a local, state, national & global scale. Their mission is to deliver comprehensive solutions based on cutting-edge technology that result in superior customer care and satisfaction. www.applyists.com
Rebecca Sharpe
President & CEO
ISTS was founded in 1985 as Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc. and after purchasing the business in 2008, President & CEO Becky Sharpe changed the name to better reflect the company’s wide range of services and international presence. Each year, ISTS administers over 600 programs for more than 240 clients, including Fortune 1000 companies, national associations, community foundations, state agencies and large membership-based organizations.
Becky recognizes the dynamic position that women business owners have and she takes pride in that. “It is important for every business owner to understand his or her role as a mentor to others. As a business owner, I believe I can be an example of how to lead from a position of trust, fairness, and honesty to anyone who is interested in a business career.”
Formula for Success
WBENC certification can be such an important part of taking a business to the next level. ISTS understands the benefits and continues to work hard to secure contracts. “WBEC South connects me with other motivated business owners who provide unique perspectives and experiences. Throughout the year, ISTS has the opportunity to respond to procurement requests from companies that sponsor scholarship and tuition programs. Often, these companies prioritize supplier diversity and seek to partner with an organization that aligns with that priority. Our certification as a 100% women-owned business aids us in these types of business evaluations and sets us apart from our competitors.”
In addition to WBENC certification, ISTS understands the importance of evolving their business and gaining new customers. “We find that we are constantly reexamining our processes, technology and approach to prepare us for profitable and sustainable growth. Our primary strategy is to deliver great service and effective results for clients and in turn, we receive many word-of-mouth referrals. We take great pride in building meaningful, lasting relationships with our clients and are always thankful when a client recommends ISTS to another organization looking to outsource their program administration.”
Inspirations & Insights
When asked how to grow a business, Becky responded, “Respect your people.” She also adds, “Surround yourself with people who are more talented than you. When making decisions, ask yourself if a role model you respect would approve. Spend time with people who believe in you and who encourage you to take risks while weighing the impact of positive and negative outcomes. Play the ‘what if’ game and be sure you can handle a variety of answers.”
Noteworthy
2x winner of the Top Business in America award (DiversityBusiness.com, (2013 & 2014) and The Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility (2013 & 2014)
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