[nabs-l] National Scholarship

[Corbb O'Connor]

Jim,

These are big questions that you raise about requiring scholarship  
recipients to attend the national convention.

I won a National Scholarship in 2006 and will be a tenBroek Fellow  
this year (winning a scholarship for a second time). Requesting time  
off work can be difficult and daunting, but all supervisors that I  
have had for summer internships or employment have had no problem with  
me taking leave for the week of convention. I suppose that may stem  
from the way that I approach them, talking about my involvement with  
the NFB, the programs that we sponsor, and how it impacts the lives of  
many blind people to see other successful blind people not only at  
convention but throughout the year too.

The scholarship is more than a check. As you point out, recipients are  
required to attend our entire convention. Recipients are invited --  
and sponsored -- to attend Washington Seminar as well as a leadership  
event the preceding weekend just for scholarship alumni at the  
National Center. You see, the scholarship is merely a point of entry  
for students into an organization that can help them change their  
outlook on their life as a student, a professional, and as a person.

I don't know if you have been to a convention before, but the  
networking opportunities at those conventions can be extremely helpful  
for finding employment, advice, and friendship. People say that  
conventions change their lives because of the people they meet and the  
ideas they learn.

So do I agree that students should be required to attend the  
convention to receive a scholarship? Whole-heartedly yes. Might it be  
challenging to take a leave of absence -- not a vacation, for you will  
be working full time at convention! -- on the busiest day of the year  
for the National Park Service? Possibly. But you won't know unless you  
ask. When you make that ask, don't frame it as you're going to pick up  
a check and enjoy an expenses-paid trip to Detroit. You're going to a  
convention to learn how to be a more successful and productive blind  
person by networking with others. Only say that, though, if you truly  
intend to work at convention to better yourself. You get out of  
convention what you put in -- so sure, stay up late to meet people and  
enjoy the hotel bar, but balance that with still being able to listen  
to the general sessions to learn what others have done that has worked  
for them.

I hope this answers your questions,
Corbb O'Connor, from Virginia


On May 31, 2009, at 2:53 PM, Jim Reed wrote:

Hello fellow scholoarship contestants,
I also applied for the NFB scholarship, and I also have not heard  
anything. My understanding was that the scholarship commitee would  
begin reviewing applications after May 1.  It seems to me that since  
one requirement of the scholarship is attending the national  
convention, it is likely that the sciholarship commitee has already,  
or must very shortly make their desisions. thus allowing time to make  
travel arraingements.

BTW, How do you guys feel about being forced  to attend a national  
convention in order to reciieve a scholarship? We atre college  
students; shouldn't we be being encouraged to work during the summers?  
What about those with summer internships where they can't take time  
off work?I know that if I had a job working for the National Park  
Service, or the Forest Service, there would be no chance I could go to  
convention, especially since the convention falls on the 4th of July  
(when every idiot with a tent and a cooler full of beer is in the  
National Parks/Forest). I'm not sure I agree with the idea of  
requreing students to take a week out of their lives, and travel half- 
way acrossed the country for the purpose of recieving a scholarship;  
even if the trip is free.

Thoughts?
Jim

Homer Simpson's brain: "Use reverse psychology."
Homer: "Oh, that sounds too complicated."
Homer's brain: "Okay, don't use reverse psychology."
Homer: "Okay, I will!"



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