Albert Fraenkel II Enterprise Award

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ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP

The Albert Fraenkel II Enterprise Award was created by Mr. Jeffrey Fraenkel and Mr. Alan Mark in memory of Mr. Albert Fraenkel II — businessman, veteran, civic leader, philanthropist, and Jeffrey’s father. In 2025–2026, the award will provide funding to six BRYC Alumni who embody Mr. Fraenkel’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. With these funds, recipients may purchase materials, technology, or equipment; pay tuition or credential/ license fees; or otherwise invest in their future success.

AWARD*: Six (6) $5,000 awards for BRYC Alumni (College Fellows, graduates, or unenrolled)

APPLICATION CLOSES DECEMBER 1, 2025 AT MIDNIGHT

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

BRYC College Fellow or Alumni
Demonstrates one or more of the following:
- Development of a product, business, or service idea with potential for impact and success
- Plan to strengthen professional, leadership, or career-specific skills beyond college coursework or typical workplace training
- Commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship for the betterment of people/communities

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Résumé
High resolution headshot
Video essay (min. 3 minutes, max. 5 minutes)
- In the application form, you will share the link to your video. Please upload your video to a publicly accessible platform like YouTube, Vimeo, Streamable, Google Drive, etc.
- If you need assistance with your video, please contact Ms. Cat at catherine@thebryc.org

WHAT GOES IN MY VIDEO ESSAY?

Basic biographical information:

- Full name
- Age
- Home town
- If current college student: School you are attending, major, and year (eg, sophomore majoring in agricultural sciences at Southern) Not sure about major yet? Share what you’re considering.
- If college graduate: Degree you earned, school, and year (eg, bachelor’s of economics from LSU in 2023)
- If not currently enrolled or degree-holder: Most recent education/employment experience (eg, completed three semesters at LSU, took time off to work, currently managing the Downtown Starbucks)
- Any academic, artistic, or civic awards/honors/scholarships (eg, BRYC Health Fellows Scholar, Dean’s list, Mayor’s commendation, etc.)

ONE of the following:

Description of a product, business, or service you have established or are actively pursuing; its impact on people/communities; and your progress thus far
An idea for a product, business, or service you would like to pursue in the future; the impact it will have on people/communities; and how you envision moving your idea forward
Steps you have taken or plan to take to strengthen professional, leadership, or career-specific skills beyond college coursework or typical workplace training and why
How you have applied an entrepreneurial spirit to succeeding personally, solving a problem, or helping others and why you chose this approach

How you would make use of the scholarship funds if you are selected and why.

Note: It is perfectly acceptable to use the funds for something beyond the realm of “business/entrepreneurship,” including shoring up your financial foundation while you take your next steps.

WHAT MAKES A STRONG VIDEO ESSAY?

Unlike a traditional written essay, a video essay allows you to share your story through spoken word, visuals, and sound. It’s also an opportunity to demonstrate passion/interest and showcase your creativity. That doesn’t mean you must be a professional videographer or own high-tech equipment! The selection committee will focus on the thoughtfulness and effort you put into your video, not your directorial polish. With that being said, here are tips for creating a strong video essay.

Plan the content of your video as you would a written essay, and script what you will say.
- Guiding questions
- How to write a video script
If you want to film in multiple locations, write a shot list. Note: Yours can be much simpler than a long-form video shot list.
Rehearse your script several times before filming, and time yourself to practice pacing.
- Bonus: Rehearse for a friend or family member, then have them “teach” it back to you. Were your points logical and clear? Did you cover all of the required information?
Choose a filming location(s) without a lot of extraneous noise (eg, traffic) or distracting visuals that don’t serve your story.
Check the lighting to make sure your face is not in shadow. When in doubt, put the camera between you and the light source.
Wear neat, pressed clothing that matches the tone of your video.
Ask a friend or family member to manage the camera work or be on standby while you film.
Edit your video to the best of your ability to include relevant visuals or remove dead air/unnecessary sound.

save the date

Scholarship recipients and their families will be invited to attend the Albert Fraenkel II Enterprise Award reception in winter/spring 2026. We will confirm the date with awardees in January 2026.

APPLY TODAY

Please shoot, edit, and host your video before beginning the application.

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