Andover Firm Sponsors College Scholarship For 10th Year

ANDOVER, MA — An Andover-based staffing and specialized consulting firm has opened submissions for its $30,000 scholarship program.

ALKU offers the scholarship to "a rising high school senior who has been positively impacted by mentoring and plans to attend a four-year college or university," according to the company.

This marks the 10th year of the scholarship program, which was started by ALKU Founder Mark Eldridge back in 2015.

A committee made up of ALKU employees reviews all of the scholarship applications with the assistance of a Mass Mentoring Partnership committee, which provides training.

"At ALKU, we pride ourselves on our internal commitment to mentoring," ALKU Community Engagement Coordinator Elvis Bisono said in an interview. "Mentorship is integral to our company culture – both internally and externally. When employees start at ALKU, no matter their level in the company, they are immediately paired with a mentor to help guide them. So, when it came time to choose an external organization to support, we knew that organization had to be centered around mentorship."

ALKU began a relationship with Mass Mentoring Partnership in 2012, an organization that "fuels the movement to expand and empower youth-adult relationships and to meet the needs of communities across Massachusetts," Bisono said.

Since then, ALKU employees have participated in events like the Rodman Ride for Kids, The Boston Marathon, and more, raising over $1.6 million for the mentorship organization.

"Mentoring has always been at the core of ALKU's culture, and this opportunity has helped us see first-hand the direct impact mentoring can have on our youth," Bisono said. "It is truly remarkable to be part of a company that pays it forward to our local communities, and I am honored to help select these deserving recipients year after year, and hand them a scholarship that has the potential to change their lives for the better."

Find out more about the scholarship program here. The deadline to apply is Sept. 23.