Student Takes Business to New Levels Thanks to Lottery Scholarship
Stephanie Long | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Lots of people work to pay for college. Very few of them start school while also starting their own business, but Springdale native Stephanie Long is anything but ordinary. She grew up cooking and decided to turn her passion into a career. While running her part-time business -- a social media-driven bakery specializing in wedding cakes called Cake Occasion -- Stephanie is also working on a degree in entrepreneurship. She’s attending the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith with a little help -- icing on the cake, you could say -- from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.
 
“[Receiving the scholarship] was a really big deal. I was in charge of making sure my school was paid for. Finding out I got that aid was big for me, and then telling my parents, they were super proud of me. It took a weight off my shoulders,” Stephanie says. “Instead of having to work full-time and focus less on my homework and classwork, I am able to work part-time and put more focus on college.”
 
Stephanie is already a graduate of Brightwater, a culinary institute in Bentonville. Her career goal now is to grow her online bakery business into a brick-and-mortar shop in Northwest Arkansas. We can’t wait to visit (and sample)!