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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Scholarship Rules and Guidelines<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico (NFBNM) wants every blind New Mexican to have the skills and opportunities to be successful and live the life they want. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So for this reason, we offer our scholarship program to blind individuals who are eager to learn and share their successes with other blind individuals. The NFBNM not only offers a cash prize award, it also offers the winner an opportunity to attend the National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, the nation's largest gathering of the blind. The 2019 convention will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada during the week of July 7, 2019.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>After attending and participating in the national convention and providing proof of registration at the student's institution of higher learning for the upcoming academic year, the winner will receive the scholarship award.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Scholarship applicants must be legally blind and attending a college, university, or vocational school in the upcoming 2019-2020 school year. Scholarship awards represent money in the winner's pocket! There is no restriction on the use to which the awards can be put. All material pertaining to the scholarship application must be turned in no later than March 1, 2019.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>1. The applicant must be legally blind and a New Mexico resident.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>2. The applicant must have a GPA of 2.0 or better. If the applicant has been out of school for over five years, the 2.0 GPA may be waived, depending upon references and work or volunteer experiences.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>3. If the applicant is beginning his/her first year at a two or four-year college or university, he/she must be taking no less than 9 credit hours. For first semester students, two of the classes may be non-credit classes. If the applicant needs to take less than 9 credit hours, this MUST be because of medical reasons, which must be documented. Also, if 6 credit hours are a requirement of the higher education program, there must be verified documentation from the specific institution.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>4. Required application material<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'>A) An official copy of a current transcript;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'>B) An essay (between 500 and 1,000 words) written by the applicant and introducing the applicant as a person and discussing how the applicant has integrated into the sighted world.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'>C) Proof of legal blindness.<br>This can be documentation from an ophthalmologist or a letter from a New Mexico Commission for the Blind rehabilitation counselor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'>D) Three letters of informative recommendation from the community. Recommendations should reflect the applicant’s involvement in their community. At least one letter of reference must be from an NFB of New Mexico State or local board member.<br>for more information regarding Federation members, contact the NFB of New Mexico State President or scholarship chair.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>5. Winners must be present at the state convention of the NFBNM, April 4-7, 2019 and be present at the banquet of the NFBNM to be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque, NM on April 6, 2019.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>6. Winners must also attend and participate in the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada in July. After the winner of this year's award has been announced, the winner must work with the scholarship committee to arrange for airline tickets and hotel reservations for the national convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>7. Applicants MUST send ALL required application materials in ONE final email with attachments or one envelope via regular mail. Each letter of recommendation must be contained in its own separate attachment or on a separate piece of paper and it must be signed by the author. The committee reserves the right to ask for additional information from an applicant.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoHeader><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>8. All letters of recommendation MUST be current, within the scholarship year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>9. Scholarship Award checks will be sent to winners who have attended the national convention and upon receipt of verification of registration for the fall, 2019-2020 quarter or semester at the institution which the applicant is attending.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b> Scholarship Application<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b>(complete this form and use as cover sheet for your package)<o:p></o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Name:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Address:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>City, State, Zip:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Home Phone:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Cell Phone:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Email:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Name of High School and location<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Dates Attended:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>GPA:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Name of College, University, or Business/Technical School and location:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Dates Attended:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>GPA:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Total Post-Secondary Credit Hours Earned:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>Major Field of Study:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b>List any special awards or scholarships received:<o:p></o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Return to:<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>NFB of New Mexico - Scholarship Committee</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Caroline Benavidez<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>CRounds1@msn.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>520 Mayfair Place SW<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Albuquerque, NM 87121<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Tonia Trapp, secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>nfbnewmexicosecretary@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>www.nfbnm.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Live the life you want.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>