Brock Niederer, a BYU–Idaho student, is one step closer to achieving his financial dreams after being awarded a $15,000 scholarship from Charles Schwab, recognizing his academic excellence and commitment to financial literacy.
The Charles Schwab Registered Investment Advisor Talent Advantage (RIATA) Scholarship is highly competitive, with a rigorous application process. Only 15 students were selected from a pool of more than 600 applicants.
Niederer said the award came after many previous attempts to secure scholarships. He reached out to more than 100 professionals, applied to over 50 jobs and internships, and received over 20 scholarship rejections.
After so many tries, receiving the email from Charles Schwab came as quite a surprise.
“I was yelling at the top of my lungs, and I was grabbing my wife, Phoebe,” Niederer said. “I was like, ‘Guess what?!’”
The scholarship was brought to Niederer’s attention by his professor, Dr. Taff Dorman, the head of the financial planning program at BYU-Idaho. Along with completing the application requirements, Niederer’s submission was supported by a letter of recommendation from Dorman.
The award has opened new doors for Niederer as he continues his education.
“It's going to help me finish school. I'm not going to have to take out any loans or anything. I'm going to be able to graduate debt free because of it,” Niederer said. “On top of that, there is a mentorship piece attached to the scholarship. So, you get the dollar amount award, but then also Schwab pairs you up with someone that they think would be a good fit as a mentor.”
Niederer expressed gratitude for the support he’s received from BYU–Idaho faculty and from his wife and family, who continued to encourage him throughout the process.
For students currently applying for scholarships and job opportunities, Niederer offered a word of encouragement.
“Always apply, always try it. There's no, there's nothing you can lose from getting denied from something like that other than time. And you have just the upside of winning,” Niederer said.
To hear more about Niederer’s scholarship experience listen to the full interview on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.