The BSCAI Stephen H. Swigart Scholarship for Higher Education provides building service contractors and their families an opportunity to pursue higher education. This scholarship promotes the welfare of the public as it relates to the contract cleaning and maintenance industry. Completing just a few semesters of college education can often lead to higher paying jobs and greater job opportunities. And yet, many people find college education courses are out of reach due to the cost of tuition and books.
Annabelle Thomas and Luke Ridgway are the two newest recipients of the scholarship, sponsored by Spartan Chemical. The Ohio-based company is a leader in cleaning and sanitation solutions for the industrial and institutional market. Steve Swigart has spent five decades with Spartan Chemical, having held numerous decision-making positions including CEO and Chairman since 2000.
Read an exclusive Q&A with our scholarship recipients below.
Annabelle Thomas
When Annabelle Thomas, who was working as an office assistant at Ultra Shine in Alberta, Canada, found out about the Stephen H. Swigart Scholarship for Higher Education, sponsored by Spartan Chemical Company, she wasn’t sure if she was eligible, given that she was outside of the United States. However, when Thomas got in touch with BSCAI, she was assured that she could apply for the scholarship. She sent in her application and eventually received word that she had won.
“I was really, really excited!” Thomas says. Her parents are willing to help her out with university costs, but it’s important to Thomas to try to pay her own way as much as possible. The Stephen H. Swigart Scholarship awarded by BSCAI and sponsored by Spartan Chemical will help defray the costs and free up time that Thomas might otherwise spend working to earn money.
“The scholarship means I have an opportunity to make a way for myself in the world without having to depend on my family,” she says. “It means I can focus more on school and getting really good grades.”
Additionally, Thomas is grateful to BSCAI and Spartan for the scholarship she received due to the potential for postgraduate study in the future.
“[Higher education] is expensive, especially if I want to go to law school,” she says. “The scholarship means I’m paying less money for it now.”
Thomas currently studies at the University of Alberta. She’s met fellow students with similar interests in some of her classes, and she’s been able to manage her time effectively so that she can keep up with her extracurricular activities — like coaching basketball — and her job at Ultra Shine.
Thomas plans to transfer next year to MacEwan University to further explore here interest in attending law school. She will be pursuing a paralegal certificate at MacEwan, giving her a head start on her legal studies.
Luke Ridgway
Luke Ridgway is the son of David Ridgway who is the COO and general counsel of Oklahoma-based Alliance Maintenance, a leading provider of janitorial services to all types of facilities including banks, churches, colleges, museums, office buildings, restaurants, stores, and more.
Ridgway is a freshman attending Grand Canyon University (GCU), a private university in Phoenix. He grew up in Norman, Okla., where Alliance Maintenance is headquartered and went to a small Christian high school. There, he played three sports — baseball, football, and basketball — and finished with a 4.0 grade point average.
A numbers guy from a young age, Ridgway says proudly, “I am majoring in Business Analytics with a minor in Finance. I am also working on campus as both a campus operations assistant and athletic facilities assistant. I prepare the facilities for games and make sure things are working correctly.”
Ridgway remembers getting the call that he was a recipient of the Spartan sponsored award. “I was so excited and surprised when I found out I won the scholarship because it's hard to win things! The scholarship means a lot to me.”
Ridgway’s plans are to graduate from GCU in three years and find an entry-level job to gain experience. He is hoping to acquire an internship this coming summer and continue to work at his athletic facilities job during the school year. “My long-term goals are to have a good job that I enjoy and start a family, preferably in Oklahoma or wherever else I am called to live,” he concludes.
The Ridgways are especially grateful to BSCAI and Spartan Chemical for making possible the scholarship, which can only be used for tuition and books.