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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty
Outstanding Blind Students<br><br>
</b><i>Maureen Nietfeld of Colorado Awarded Top $12,000
Scholarship<br><br>
</i></div>
<br><br>
<b>Baltimore, Maryland (August 3, 2017): </b>The National Federation of
the Blind (NFB), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind
people, today announced the winners of its 2017 scholarships, which were
awarded at the organization’s recent national convention in Orlando. The
winner of the organization’s top prize of $12,000, donated by the
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults, is Maureen Nietfeld
of Colorado, who is studying human nutrition and dietetics and
specializing in the care of organ transplant patients. "When I lost
my sight I dreamed of being confident, and I dreamed of being independent
and successful. I dreamed of being able to go back to work and go to
school," said Ms. Nietfeld. "Thank you to the National
Federation of the Blind for helping me to make my dreams a
reality!"<br><br>
Each of the other twenty-nine winners received, at a minimum, a National
Federation of the Blind Scholarship in the amount of $3,000. In addition
to their scholarship, each received a $1,000 check and plaque from
inventor and futurist Dr. Ray Kurzweil, a Google Chromebook laptop, a
$1,000 cash award from Google, and a certificate towards the purchase of
a Talking LabQuest from Independence Science, for a total award for each
winner with a minimum value exceeding $5,000. Here is an alphabetical
listing of the other winners, with their home state, career goal, and
scholarship name and amount (where appropriate):<br><br>
<br><br>
• Lindsay Ball, ME: Adaptive physical education teacher<br><br>
• Cricket Bidleman, CA: Anthropology professor ($3,000 Charles and Betty
Allen Scholarship)<br><br>
• Katherine Brafford, CA: Work at the intersection of science and
religion ($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer
Science)<br><br>
• Aneri Brahmbhatt, IL: Record label manager<br><br>
• Shannon Cantan, HI: Business administration ($5,000 Charles and Melva
T. Owen Scholarship)<br><br>
• Melissa Carney, CT: Clinical psychologist<br><br>
• Trinh Ha, AR: Dietitian<br><br>
• Afton Harper, MO: Journalism<br><br>
• Qusay Hussein, TX: Psychologist<br><br>
• Catherine Jacobson, MN: Healthcare policy analyst<br><br>
• Cassandra Mendez, OH: Assistive technology developer ($3,000 Expedia
Scholarship)<br><br>
• Tabea Meyer, CO: Advocate for marginalized groups ($5,000 Charles and
Melva T. Owen Scholarship)<br><br>
• Ibeth Miranda, TX: University professor<br><br>
• Regina D. Mitchell, NV: Psychologist ($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for
Excellence in a STEM Field)<br><br>
• Jackie Mushington-Anderson, GA: Braille instructor ($10,000 JAWS for
Windows Scholarship)<br><br>
• Efose Oriaifo, VA: Biotechnology<br><br>
• Chelsea Peahl, UT: Law/Advocacy ($5,000 Pearson Scholarship)<br><br>
• Gloria Rodriguez, WA: Disaster mitigation and emergency
preparedness<br><br>
• Carla L. Scroggins, CA: International politics ($3,000 Charles and
Melva T. Owen Scholarship)<br><br>
• Luke Schwink, KS: Athletic marketing/Player development ($5,000 Mimi
and Marvin Sandler Scholarship)<br><br>
• Alyssa Shock, NJ: Child psychologist<br><br>
• Heather Simmons, CA: Literature professor ($3,000 Larry Streeter
Memorial Scholarship)<br><br>
• Wayne Smith III, MD: Computer engineering/Data security ($3,000 Expedia
Scholarship)<br><br>
• Andrew Sydlik, PA: English teacher or disability advocate ($3,000
Adrienne Asch Memorial Scholarship)<br><br>
• Sophie Trist, LA: Novelist<br><br>
• Rachel Wellington, GA: STEM career ($3,000 NFB Science and Engineering
Division Scholarship)<br><br>
• James N. Yesel, ND: Entrepreneur ($3,000 E. U. and Gene Parker
Scholarship)<br><br>
• Zeynep S. Yilmaz, AZ: Rehabilitation counselor education<br><br>
• Ayoub Zurikat, TX: Mental health care provider<br><br>
<br><br>
“The scholarship program is one of our most important initiatives,” said
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We
are proud to honor these blind scholars, who are studying everything from
biotechnology to sports marketing, and in so doing raising the
expectations of what blind people can achieve. Their accomplishments are
proof of our conviction that we, the blind of this nation, can live the
lives we want; blindness does not hold us back.”<br><br>
Several hundred students competed for the scholarships. A committee of
blind persons representing a cross section of the NFB membership,
including several former scholarship winners, narrowed the field to
thirty finalists. Each finalist was then given roundtrip transportation,
hotel accommodations, and assistance to attend the National Federation of
the Blind National Convention in Orlando, where the committee spent
several days getting to know each student. Only after that process was
complete did the committee decide which scholarship to award each
finalist. Nearly three thousand blind people attended the convention, the
largest gathering of its kind in the United States this year.<br><br>
Special thanks go to the Jesse and Hertha Adams Charitable Trust for its
support of the National Federation of the Blind scholarship
program.<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>###<br><br>
</b></div>
About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
The National Federation of the Blind 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.<br><br>
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