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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFBMD) is thrilled to administer the John T. McCraw Scholarship Program for Academic Year 2023-2024. The Program will award up to four individual scholarships of $4,000 each. These scholarships will be given to qualified blind students who exhibit academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>The John T. McCraw Scholarship Program has been established to promote post-secondary educational opportunities for Maryland's blind students. The recipients may use these scholarships to defray the cost of educational expenses incurred at any post-secondary institution during the 2023-2024 academic year. All John T. McCraw scholarships are merit-based and are awarded based on academic excellence, community service, and leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>NOTE: A special scholarship may be awarded to former McCraw Scholarship recipients. To apply for this special scholarship, former recipients must still meet all of the requirements for the McCraw Scholarship Program and submit a new application.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>WHO IS ELIGIBLE</span></strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>A) Any legally blind student is eligible to receive a scholarship who:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> 1. Resides in the State of Maryland, or is pursuing post-secondary studies in the State of Maryland;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> 2. Will turn age 18 before July 1, 2023;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> 3. Will be enrolled as a full-time or part-time student at any post-secondary institution in the Fall of 2023 and the Spring of 2024. Priority will be given to full-time students.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>B) Recipients are required to attend the annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind in its entirety, July 1-6, 2023, in Houston, Texas, as well as the annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, November 10-12, 2023, in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Financial assistance to attend the Conventions will be provided. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>C) Applications must be submitted by April 15, 2023. Shortly thereafter, the scholarship committee will select the recipients, but will not award the scholarships until personally interacting with the recipients at both conventions. Scholarships will be awarded at the state convention banquet on November 11, 2023. Recipients' participation in both conventions in their entirety is mandatory in order to qualify for these scholarships.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>D) The scholarship committee may request additional information from an applicant. The scholarship committee's decision concerning the recipients of the John T. McCraw Scholarship Program is final.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>(Blind students are also invited to apply for the nationwide scholarships offered by the National Federation of the Blind. The application deadline for the national NFB scholarships is March 31, 2023. Visit <a href="http://www.nfb.org/scholarships"><span style='color:#0071B3'>www.nfb.org/scholarships</span></a> to apply for the national scholarships.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>Note: Applicants who are not selected to receive a John T. McCraw Scholarship may be considered for a grant to participate in the NFB National Convention, NFB of Maryland State Convention, or both. Those interested in this grant should notify the Scholarship Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2in;margin-left:0in;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#3B3B3B'>Please <a href="https://nfbmd.org/scholarship/apply"><span style='color:#0071B3'>apply online</span></a>, visit <a href="https://nfbmd.org/scholarship">https://nfbmd.org/scholarship</a></span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> for the online application form<span style='color:#3B3B3B'>, or download, fill out, print, and email or mail the attached <a href="http://nfbmd.org/sites/default/files/mccraw_scholarship_form_2023.doc"><span style='color:#0071B3'>offline application</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The deadline to submit a completed application packet is April 15, 2023.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>