James Rothstein Business Scholarship
Awards event passes and covers travel expenses to the annual Securing New Ground Conference in New York City
About the Program
The James Rothstein Business Scholarship, presented by the Security Industry Association (SIA), is designed to support emerging professionals and students in the security industry by providing financial assistance to attend the Securing New Ground (SNG) conference. This competitive scholarship program covers SNG conference passes and travel expenses, enabling recipients to gain invaluable business insights, network with industry leaders and enhance their professional development.
This scholarship was named after James Rothstein, operating partner at Lee Equity, and a past member of SIA’s Board of Directors who served as chair from 2022 to 2024. In 2024, SIA and the Board of Directors established the James Rothstein Business Scholarship program in recognition of the commitment to business leadership and education Rothstein demonstrated during his term. His comprehensive understanding of the security industry business landscape and untapped growth opportunities for SIA member companies has informed the strategic decision making of many companies seeking to expand into new markets, and his guidance has helped businesses to innovate while remaining agile amid challenging economic shifts and world events. In his role as a leader on the SIA board, James Rothstein played an instrumental role in the development of the annual SNG conference, and he continues to support industry education and career advancement opportunities for early career professionals and students through various advisement and volunteer service roles.
2024 James Rothstein Business Scholarship Recipients: Phillippe Forman and Aubrey Moye
SIA has selected Phillippe Forman, outside sales associate at Altronix, and Aubrey Moye, development rotational sales representative at dormakaba USA, as the first-ever recipients of the Rothstein Scholarship.
Phillippe Forman is an outside sales associate at Altronix Corp., where his journey began on the factory floor, wiring and assembling products before transitioning into sales. With a knack for communication and a passion for helping others, Forman thrives on building connections. When he is not at work, you’ll likely find him spending quality time with family or finding new ways to give back to the community – a value instilled by his parents’ dedication to supporting medical research and education.
Aubrey Moye is a development rotational sales representative at dormakaba, where she is gaining hands-on experience in sales after recently graduating from Kennesaw State University, earning her Bachelor of Science as a first-generation college graduate. Moye began her journey just days after earning her degree and is passionate about making an impact both in and out of work. She actively works in overdose prevention with End Overdose, teaching individuals how to reverse opioid overdose with naloxone. When she’s not on the job, Moye is either training for her next marathon or spending time with her German Shepherd, Willow. Driven by a commitment to community and a love for running, she is always pushing herself to new heights.
Eligibility
Each applicant must meet all relevant requirements set forth below to be considered eligible as a scholarship recipient.
- Each applicant must be either 1) a SIA student member or 2) a member of the SIA RISE community and an employee of a SIA member company.
- Each student applicant must be enrolled in an accredited program offered by a trade or vocational school or a postsecondary degree program related to the security industry.
- Each industry applicant must be a full-time employee of a SIA member company that is current on member dues, have worked for the employer for a minimum of six months at the time of the deadline and be in good standing within the employer organization. The designated SIA primary contact for a member company will verify eligible employees.
- Current officers, directors and key employees of SIA and the immediate families of SIA officers, directors and key employees are not eligible to receive scholarships under the program.
- Individuals who have received any scholarship awards from SIA within the previous three years are not eligible to receive scholarship funds under the program.
Application Process
Each applicant must complete the application and include supporting documentation as described below.
- Fill out the application form with accurate and up-to-date information.
- Provide essay responses answering the following questions:
- Why have you chosen to apply for the James Rothstein Business Scholarship? How will attending the Securing New Ground conference will benefit you? (250 words minimum)
- What skills do you possess that make you a good candidate for this scholarship? Describe how these qualities and attributes will help you to achieve success in your future academic and/or career pursuits. (500 words minimum)
- Which business topics within the security industry interest you the most, and what steps have you taken to deepen your understanding of them? (250 words minimum)
- Who is your role model in the business world and why? (250 words minimum)
Each applicant must submit a complete, signed application, together with all supporting documentation, including essays, by the deadline. The completion of the application form does not create an obligation on the part of SIA to award a scholarship to the applicant.
Scholarship Selection Committee
The Scholarship Selection Committee (the “Committee”) will consist of volunteers from the SIA Executive Committee.
Committee members are volunteers and perform their duties without compensation, financial or otherwise. If the Committee is reviewing the application of an applicant who is an employee of the Committee member’s company, or if the Committee member is otherwise conflicted with respect to the applicant, the Committee member shall recuse himself or herself from all deliberation and voting regarding the applicant’s application.
Selection Process
- Only those applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and submit their completed applications and supporting documentation on or before the deadline (“qualified applications”) will be considered in the selection process.
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete and signed application, along with all the supporting documentation, which must be received on or before the deadline. The Committee accepts no responsibility for incomplete applications, applications not in proper form, lost applications or any other submissions not in compliance with these requirements or the instructions provided with the application.
- The Selection Committee scrutinizes applications for the use of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT in essay responses. Priority is given to responses that demonstrate original thought.
- The Committee shall review each application and award points based on the applicant grading criteria set forth below. As noted above, a committee member with an actual or perceived conflict of interest with respect to any applicant shall not participate in the review or grading of that applicant’s application and supporting materials.
- The scholarship award will be based on the Committee’s scores of the overall quality of the application and the scholarship essays. Applicants receiving the highest scores shall be awarded scholarships. In the case of a tie, the SIA CEO will make the final decision.
- Scholarship selection shall be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. Conversely, an applicant will not be selected solely based on one or more of the categories identified above.
- The decision of the Committee is final and not subject to review.
- All deliberations and decisions of the Committee shall be recorded in Committee meeting minutes, which shall be drafted contemporaneously with the review and decisions of the Committee.
Applicant Grading Criteria
The following applicant grading criteria will be followed by members of the Committee in reviewing applications and determining those applicants that will be granted scholarships:
Award Date
All applicants will be notified via email, regardless of whether selected as a recipient or not, by the award date regarding the status of their scholarship application.
Award Redemption
Each recipient must register for the SNG conference in the year they are awarded or the year immediately following. SIA will pay the full amount of the SNG conference registration fee on the recipient’s behalf and cover up to the $3,000 in travel expenses. If travel expenses, including airfare, baggage fees, hotel lodging and ground transportation, are greater than $3,000, the recipient is responsible for the balance.
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