[Nebraska-Students] NFB National Convention Scholarship Deadline Approaching

[Jamie K. Richey]

Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship


Deadline April 15, 2023

 

The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship provides funding support to
National Federation of the Blind members who want to attend a

  <https://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 in-person
NFB National Convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.


 


How to Apply


Apply online using the 

 <https://www.nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho> Kenneth
Jernigan Convention Scholarship online application form. 

The deadline to submit is April 15, 2023.

 

The application will ask for the following information:

*	Contact Information 
*	State Affiliate/Chapter President's Information
*	Mentor information: Include the name of a person willing to mentor
you during convention 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. 
*	Essay questions to explain why this is a good investment for the
NFB: 
*	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?
*	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. 

 


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.  (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 have been $600 per individual. 

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 

410-659-9314, extension 2020.


 


Applications close April 15. 

 
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-conventio
n-scholarship> Learn more about the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship.