Little more than a year
ago, Ethan Pagliaro's top career concern wasn't what he was going to do
after finishing college -- it was whether he would be able to finish college.
Nowadays, heís got better things on his mind.
Little more than a year
ago, Ethan Pagliaro's top career concern wasn't what he was going to do
after finishing college -- it was whether he would be able to finish college.
Nowadays, heís got better things on his mind.
A year ago, the 23-year-old Cincinnati man's education was nearly put on hold. Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, he faced a major hurdle: tuition. Then, he was named the National Association for the Self-Employed's Future Entrepreneur of the Year.
"It was like winning the lottery," Pagliaro said after learning the $12,000 scholarship was his last spring. "Here I was, feeling like I wouldn't be able to make it back to school because money was so tight. And all of a sudden somebody says, 'You're going!'"
After his first year at North Park College and Theological Seminary in Chicago, Pagliaro and his family feared that family finances would not allow him to attend school the next year. The $12,000 scholarship presented with the Future Entrepreneur of the Year Award covered a significant portion of the $16,000 annual tuition at North Park College. "I basically went to school free this year." Pagliaro said. "It's been great."
The NASE Future Entrepreneur of the Year Award is the largest cash prize awarded by a small-business association in the nation, and unlike most major scholarships, it supports the philosophy of entrepreneurship rather than a specific profession. This special award was added last year to the NASE Scholarship Program, founded in 1988.
"Ethan was exactly the type of young person we had in mind when this scholarship was designed," said Bennie L. Thayer, NASE president. "He showed tremendous promise in terms of his dedication, commitment, ingenuity and desire with a demonstrated commitment to school and community."
Pagliaro's father, Joseph, owner of a graphic design business and a four-year member of the NASE, was elated when his son was notified he had won the scholarship. "We were very surprised," he said. "It's been phenomenal .... a godsend."
"The NASE scholarships are great," Ethan said. "The Future Entrepreneur of the Year award is a super idea." He explained that the children of self-employed people often are not eligible for scholarships that are available to children of employees at large corporations, and the NASE awards give those students an opportunity for college financial aid.
With the help of friends, Pagliaro was able to continue managing his Cincinnati sound and lighting business, Access Audio, long-distance from his Chicago campus. He started the business at age 15 with a truckload of second-hand audio equipment, and has since then seen it thrive. As happy as Pagliaro is with the success of the business, he's also pleased that his company fosters the entrepreneurial spirit of others, in part by providing jobs to aspiring young entrepreneurs -- including some at risk students.
Having his college finances covered last year also allowed Pagliaro to give more time to his business. "I've had a really good year ... a big growing year." he said. He's made business contacts in the Chicago area, bringing in his equipment and employees to work jobs there. He's also made contacts that resulted in his business working a recent tour in California. This growth is exciting to Pagliaro, but not nearly as exciting as the opportunity it gives him to reach the at-risk youth that his business touches.
This success has also brought him closer to realizing his next goal. Along with two college friends, he is making plans for a summer camp with the mission of encouraging kids to help kids. "I think summer camp is really one of the best places to reach kids," he said. "We want to find out what kids do -- for me it was sound, for another it could be football -- and try to push those kids to make that a ministry. I want to show kids that what you do is not just a job, it's a way for you to change the world around you."
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