Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America changes its name.

After extensive discussion and delaying implementation for more than one year, the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America has changed its name to Scholarship America.

William Nelsen, president of the St. Peter, Minn.-based organization, said that many people said they found the former name too long, unmemorable, and simply "a mouthful."

Nelsen said the plan to change the name was in place more than a year ago, but the events on September 11, 2001, the organization's involvement in the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund and the $100 million fundraising effort surrounding it caused the organization to postpone a name change. "We didn't want to change the banner under which we were operating at that time," he said.

While the organization's name will change, many of its Dollars for Scholars chapters around the country will continue to use the old name in their official names. "They don't need to change the name that is known so well locally," he said. "It still reflects that grassroots nature."

Scholarship America is now embarking on an extensive marketing program in both business, trade and consumer publications to present the new name and its three primary programs, Dollars for Scholars, Scholarship Management Services, and Scholarship as well as the Families of Freedom. It had the newly updated Web site up and running as midnight struck on January 1.

A year after the terrorist attacks, the board again looked at the question of a name change, and all the same reasons remained. The name had even been misstated occasionally on national television related to the Families of Freedom effort.

Nelsen said the new name selected had been among his favorites since the examination began. "It made sense," he said. "It does reflect the mission and the vision and the scope of the work.... Four or five years ago I wouldn't have necessarily favored it.

...It's a name we've earned?'

Nelsen said the reaction to the new name has also been positive from corporate and nonprofit partners and major donors, many of whom he personally called. "The reactions universally have been extremely positive," he said. "They think it's a great name and they're so much happier that it's easier to say."

Nelsen said the change will help build the awareness level of the organization, which consistently ranks among the largest in the country, ranking 71st in the most recent edition of the NPT 100 with more than $143 million in FY01. "There's still got to be much more from the private sector," Nelsen said. "We're still in many ways just at the beginning of mobilizing the private sector."

The name change also had the blessing of the organization's founder, Dr. Irving Fradkin, whose opinion the board asked early in the process. "The name was a good one to select at that time," Nelsen said about the organization's founding in 1961. "It reflected the grassroots nature, but we've become so much more."