ESA is the essential and inclusive community for all professionals working in sponsorship. In 2022 we created the ESA Diploma Scholarship to help grow the diversity of the sponsorship industry by offering at least one applicant based in Europe a place on the course each year. Four supported scholars have now graduated Dip ESA with another three studying the ESA Diploma in 2025 (see below).
We believe that together we can create an industry-wide movement that promotes an inclusive approach to dialogue and thought leadership, welcoming diverse perspectives and allowing each of us to be ourselves, while shaping the future of international sponsorship.
The ESA Diploma is the only official post-graduate qualification in sponsorship. Until 2022, all participants were fee paying. We now offer a full scholarship to at least one Europe-based applicant each year.
Jonathan Krumholz
2025 ESA Diploma scholar
“I applied for the Diploma because I believe that the best way to grow as a person and as a professional is to always continue your learning journey and to invest your time in what makes you most passionate and become better at it.
“I think the ESA Diploma will provide me with all the theory behind marketing sponsorships, providing me with a stronger foundation to support my learnt knowledge and allowing me to become a better professional with a more comprehensive way to understand, plan and execute different projects/campaigns.
“On top of that, it will provide me with access to one of the most important networks in the industry, allowing me to get in touch and build relationships with colleagues within the industry, learning from their experiences and finding opportunities to create value together.
“I feel excited about starting the Diploma, full of energy and with a little bit of concern about being able to balance the work with studies and family, but confident that I’m surrounded by a strong network of support with family and ESA representatives.”
Mandip Sehmi
2025 ESA Diploma scholar
“I’m absolutely delighted to have been awarded an ESA Diploma Scholarship. I am the Partnership Lead for Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, a charity that creates opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in the only mixed gender, full chair contact, Paralympic sport! I applied for the scholarship to help further my career by improving my knowledge of the sponsorship space and how partnerships can drive meaningful impact, especially in disability sport.
“The ESA Diploma is a fantastic opportunity to learn from leaders in marketing and sponsorship industry. Having been recommended the course by my peers, the qualification will help me develop new skills, network and improve my ability to grow the commercial partnerships for GB Wheelchair Rugby.”
Rory Bryant
2025 ESA Diploma scholar
“I feel incredibly privileged to have been awarded a Scholarship place on the ESA Diploma. As a sponsorship professional working within our fragile cultural sector, the need to forge positive, long-term commercial partnerships has never been greater.
“The chance to study the sponsorship industry’s leading training qualification is an amazing opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge, which I hope will ultimately help me to play my small part in protecting and developing our cultural assets. Thank you to ESA for this brilliant opportunity; I can’t wait to progress through the course and meet fantastic colleagues from across the sponsorship industry!“
Deji Faremi
2024 ESA Diploma scholar
“I’m thrilled to have been selected for this incredible opportunity, diving into a subject that holds a special place in my heart. With nearly a decade in both sports and marketing, this feels like the perfect chance to put all those experiences together and lay the foundation for my future career.
“Throughout this journey, I look forward to not only learning and making new friends but also connecting with leaders in the sponsorship industry. Most importantly, I want to use this platform to support aspiring professionals in this field, showing them that reaching the pinnacle is within their grasp.
“My aspiration is for this scholarship to not just boost my own career but to pave the way for others with stories similar to mine. Here’s to the exciting road ahead!”
Read more: Meet Deji, 2024 ESA Diploma Scholar
Sinem Pozanti
2024 ESA Diploma scholar
“I am truly honoured and excited that I’ve been granted the ESA Diploma Scholarship! The ESA Diploma offers a unique platform for blending my finance background with new perspectives, enabling me to transfer my skills, transitioning from dealing with eight- to nine-digit figures in loan agreements to handling sponsorship agreements. This marks a significant step in redefining my career after relocating to a new country following a maternity break, propelling me towards new beginnings.
“My mission is to utilise this opportunity not just for personal growth but to inspire and empower women in the workforce who, for various reasons, had to temporarily pause their bright careers.
“I applied for this scholarship with the belief that education is a catalyst for a positive change, I am thrilled to be part of a community that values and fosters continuous learning. I feel like I’m out of my comfort zone and it’s exciting to be able to add new skillsets.
“I am committed to contributing to the narrative that encourages women to reignite their professional journeys to celebrate resilience, determination, and the limitless potential for career growth.”
Read more: Meet Sinem, 2024 ESA Diploma Scholar
Ashley Arthingal
2023 ESA Diploma scholar
“Applying for the ESA Diploma Scholarship was the perfect call for me and the whole experience has given me such a boost. I would recommend the Diploma to anyone but the honour of being a Scholarship recipient made me even more motivated, not only to study the course but to navigate the transition into sponsorship as an industry.
“Accessibility and diversity are vital in any industry – not only in terms of ethnicity and mixed cultural backgrounds but also people coming together from different fields of work. The industry benefits from having people with different perspectives.
“Before starting the course, I had no theoretical knowledge about sponsorship – only the practical application of speaking to brand partners and potential partners in my role as Project Coordinator of the World Ice Skating Day, a global initiative by the International Skating Union (ISU) to develop and grow ice skating across the world. It was great to learn right from the basics and discover how to form objectives and strategies, before going on to look at activation and evaluation. Now I find that I’m talking to sponsors in a very different tone and with a set strategy.
“I’ve never encountered such an interesting course and one that’s written in a way that is easy to understand. It can be hard to juggle the course work when you are working full-time, but it’s definitely manageable if you stick to the recommended timings for each module. It was nice to be broken into study groups and I travelled to London to meet up with my group. we still have an active WhatsApp chat and it’s great to have made friends and connections through the course.”
Read more: Meet the 2023 ESA Diploma Scholar
Nobandile Mutseyekwa
2022 ESA Diploma scholar
Nobandile has already stepped up a rung on her career ladder by joining MSL UK as Junior Account Executive while studying for the 2022 ESA Diploma.
“I’ve really enjoyed the course so far. As a newcomer to the industry, the biggest thing I’ve gained – apart from knowledge – is the confidence boost it gives you.
“Having access to expert seminars and resources is really insightful and helpful, and it feels as if the Diploma is like a door into the sponsorship industry. The support of the ESA team has been great too.
“As a recent graduate looking for job opportunities, I wouldn’t have been able to do the course without the Scholarship, so it has removed a lot of that stress. I’m proud to be the first recipient and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone starting out in the industry.”