COBI freshman wins International Franchising Association scholarship

If a student was looking for a good omen that studying business is the right course for them, then Maria Bohrer may have found it.

The freshman student received a $3,000 scholarship at the International Franchising Association’s annual convention in Las Vegas at the end of January, an event attended by thousands of franchisors and franchisees.

Bohrer, a 2016 Western Brown High School (Mount Orab, Ohio) graduate, was one of ten students from the United States to attend the event. Bohrer won the Doc Cohen Franchising Scholarship, which was presented to her by Cohen, former President of IFA.  

Maria Bohrer

Bohrer and Doc Cohen

"Today's students are tomorrow's leaders, and we believe that investing in the next generation is a crucial step in ensuring the franchising industry continues to thrive for decades to come," said Lawrence "Doc" Cohen, CFE, Chairman of the Foundation. "We are thrilled to recognize this year's scholarship recipients, each of whom displayed a remarkable passion for business and entrepreneurship. We enjoyed welcoming all of these ambitious, hard-working students to this year's convention and introducing them to the infinite opportunities the franchising community offers."

“The IFA Conference was a really great experience,” Bohrer said.  “The scholarship winners were invited to listen to speakers and attend workshops. I had the opportunity to network with some of the top people in franchising, which was my favorite part. I also was able to meet Doc Cohen, who is the person who funds the scholarship I received.”

The scholarship competition required submission of a business plan.

“I'm planning to use the $3,000 scholarship to help cover the costs of my study abroad trip to Torino, Italy in the fall,” she explained.

“As a member of the Honors College, I've been able to attend a lot of events and outings that have contributed to a great college experience,” Bohrer said. “As far as goals for my future, all I know right now is I want to do something business related. I haven't officially declared a major yet, so I'm still trying to decide what to do after college.”

While the freshman’s post college career is still a long way off, Bohrer said she feels that she is in the right place to help her career.

“It's hard to pick one reason why I selected The University of Toledo. I knew I wanted to major in business, and COBI is a really great business college,” she said.  “COBI has a lot to offer besides top notch business classes, such as the job fairs, resume critiques, and mock interviews. I've been very impressed with The University of Toledo and COBI so far. I've enjoyed my classes and feel like I'm receiving a quality education that will help me in my future job search.”