[IABS-Talk] Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship

Tue Jan 7 16:26:04 UTC 2020

Hello Everyone,

Below is some information about the Kenneth Jernigan convention scholarship.
Please note that there are changes on how one can apply. You can now apply
online. Whether you are applying online or outside of the online process,
please let me know by March 31. Attending an NFB national convention is an
awesome experience, and if you want to attend, I want to do whatever I can
to assist. So, I want to make sure everything his sent to the Kenneth
Jernigan Scholarship Committee by the April 15 deadline. The dates for our
national convention in Houston are July 14-19. For more information, go to
www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org> .

Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship

The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship provides funding support to
National Federation of the Blind members who want to attend a
<https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention> national convention
for the first time.

Eligibility

Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB
National Convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.

How to Apply

Starting January 1, 2020, apply online using the
<https://www.nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho> Kenneth Jernigan
Convention Scholarship online application form. 

The application will ask for the following information:

*	Contact Information: Include your full name and both your primary
phone where you can be contacted by your state president and your mobile
phone you might use at convention, if available. Please include your mailing
address and, if you have one, your email address. If you don't have an email
address, please consider if there is a friend or chapter member who might be
able to assist with email correspondence.
*	State Affiliate/Chapter Information: Include your state affiliate,
your state president, chapter, and chapter president, if you attend a
chapter.
*	Mentor Information: Include your personal convention mentor and
provide that person's phone number.
*	Funding Request: Include your specific request and explain how much
money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest
you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself.
*	Essay Questions: How do you currently participate in the Federation?
Why do you want to attend a national convention? What would you receive?
What can you share or give? Provide any special circumstances you hope the
committee will take into consideration.

If you cannot apply online, you can still apply by writing a letter to your
state affiliate president answering the above questions. This letter should
be emailed to your state affiliate president. Once you have decided you will
apply, please contact your state president in person or by phone to request
his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the state affiliate
president when to expect that your application will be submitted and mention
the deadline.

Once your online application has been submitted, your application will be
provided to your state president via email. It is still your responsibility
to contact your affiliate president. He or she must email a president's
recommendation directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
Committee at  <mailto:kjscholarships at nfb.org> kjscholarships at nfb.org. Your
president must email the recommendation no later than the deadline of April
15, 2020. If you have applied outside of the online form, the state
affiliate president must email both the recommendation and the application
letter.

Notification of Award

If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter
with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The
committee makes every effort to notify winners by May 15, but you must do
several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen:

*	Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from
attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for
roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
*	Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by
May 31.
*	Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many
conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and mentor.

If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a
scholarship this year.

Receiving the Award

At the convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with
the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will
be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide
funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate
to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a
scholarship, and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or
credit card.

Award Details

The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB
National Convention are the round-trip transportation, the hotel room for a
week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an
individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay
all the costs. Most years the grants were in the range of $400 to $500 per
individual. In 2019, ninety grants were offered.

We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor,
someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share
money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in
the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing
experience that is convention week.

More Information

For additional information, please contact the chairman of the Kenneth
Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee, Tracy Soforenko, at
<mailto:kjscholarships at nfb.org> kjscholarships at nfb.org or 410-659-9314,
extension 2415.

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org