2026 McLendon Postgraduate Scholarship Application

The McLendon Foundation is excited to offer twelve postgraduate scholarships to underrepresnted candidates planning to earn a master’s degree in a field that will help them pursue a career in the sports industry.

Seven (7) $10,000 scholarships
One (1) $10,000 scholarship presented by the Fiesta Bowl
- Open to graduates of 4-year colleges based in Arizona / Candidates enrolled or accepted by an Arizona Graduate Program
Two (2) fully funded spot into UMass Amherst's Mark H. McCormack's MBA/MS or MS Sport Management Program
Two (2) $10,000 CIAA scholarships
- Open to CIAA minority/female idenitfying graduates entering their first year of grad school.

Nomination Criteria

To be considered for a McLendon Postgraduate Scholarship, an applicant must:

Academic:
- College seniors who plan to pursue their first master’s degree (in the United States) in a field leading to a career in the sports industry are eligible to apply
- Individuals who have already earned their undergraduate degree and plan to begin their first master’s program (in the United States) are also eligible
- Current full-time graduate students pursuing their first master’s degree in the United States, who will not graduate before September 2026, may apply
- Ph.D. candidates and individuals who have already completed a master’s degree are not eligible
Scholarship Timing:
- McLendon & Fiesta Bowl Scholarship: award must be used within 5 years of receipt
- UMass / McCormack program: applicants must plan to enroll in Fall 2025
- CIAA scholarships: applicants must plan to enroll in Summer/Fall 2025 or Spring 2026
Have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent in the undergraduate curriculum. If enrolled in graduate school, current graduate GPA will not be considered.
Identify as one of the following:
- Black - All persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
- Hispanic - All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture of origin, regardless of race.
- Asian or Pacific Islander - All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands and Samoa.
- American Indian or Alaskan Native - All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
- Note: CIAA Scholarship is open to all women who attend a member institution.
Applicants must submit two separate responses, responding to the questions below. Each essay response should be uploaded as part of one combined document, and the total word count across both must not exceed 1,200 words.
1. What personal experiences have shaped your leadership style, and how will you use those experiences to inspire and lead others in the sports industry?
2. How can the McLendon Foundation help you achieve your dreams and support your journey in the sports industry?
Submit an undergraduate transcript (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
Submit a resume
Submit a gradudate school transcript if currently enrolled in a program

All applications MUST be received no later than 11:59 PM PST on February 1st 2025.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at mclendonfoundation@gmail.com

Applicant Information

Please note, correspondence regarding application status will be sent to these addresses.

Full Name:*

First NameLast Name

Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number

Personal E-mail Address:*

example@example.com

Which scholarship(s) are you applying to?*

McLendon ScholarshipMcLendon Fiesta Bowl ScholarshipMcLendon/ McCormack ScholarshipMcLendon/CIAA Scholarship

What minority group do you identify with?:*

Which CIAA Institution did you graduate from?*

Institution:*

Degree Program (i.e. BA, BS, etc.):*

Actual/Expected graduation date:*

MonthDayYear

Major:*

Cumulative grade point average/scale (i.e. 3.2/4.0):*

Have you been admitted or currently enrolled in graduate program?*

YesNo

To what postgraduate program(s) have you applied to / been accepted by? And what is your intended postgraduate major?*

Institution:*

Expected graduation date:

MonthDayYear

What are your career aspirations?*

List any other information which may assist the selection committee in their evaluation, including information surrounding unique circumstances or mitigating factors.

Personal Essay (1200 words max)*

Upload a File

1. What personal experiences have shaped your leadership style, and how will you use those experiences to inspire and lead others in the sports industry? 2. How can the McLendon Foundation help you achieve your dreams and support your journey in the sports industry?

Resume:*

Upload a File

Undergraduate Transcript:*

Upload a File

Unofficial Transcripts accepted

Graduate School Transcript

Upload a File

Which McCormack Program are you interested in applying to?*

MS in Sport Management program (1 year)Dual MBA/MS in Sport Management (2 years)

Please visit UMass Amherst's graduate applications page to submit your application.

APPLY HERE

As a part of the application process to UMass, you will be required to submit the following:

Application Form
Personal Statement
Resume
Atleast two Letters of reference (these can come after the deadline, if needed)
Undergraduate transcripts (this can come after the deadline if needed)
Note: GMAT/GRE scores and the Application fee for McLendon Applicants are waived.

Personal Statement Prompt: Describe what makes you an exceptional and ideal candidate for Umass Amherst's top-ranked McCormack Graduate Program? What has drawn you specifically to this program, and what do you hope to gain if admitted? Project what your professional goals coming out of the program might be, and what segment of the sports industry you are most interested in impacting. How will you endeavor to become a leader in this segment, and what skills will you need to acquire in order to do so?

If you have any trouble accessing the application or submitting it please contact Will Norton (wnorton@isenberg.umass.edu).

How did you hear about the McLendon Foundation / McLendon Scholarship?*

Undergraduate School Information

Graduate School Information

Application Materials