[NFBNJ] {Spam?} Please Share National Federation Of The Blind Scholarship Items Of Interest

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all on our distribution list!
Please review the following information that highlights the National 
Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program.
Please share with others.
Promotion is the KEY!

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
or call 855 659 9314

****


The National Federation of the Blind believes in investing in the future by 
supporting the college education of deserving legally blind students.  Our 
state and national scholarship programs are the most generous in the 
country.

Student accepts scholarship award

When a student applies for a national scholarship, this allows the applicant 
the possibility of winning a NFBNJ state scholarship. Simply stated, 
complete one application and have the possibility of winning two 
scholarships, national  and or state. To learn more about the NFB National 
Scholarship and to download an application form, please visit
www.nfb.org/scholarships.

Students receive scholarships

Please also read:

list of 4 items
• National Convention Reflections From National Scholarship Winners Deanna
Greco & Laura Etori
• NFB 2017 Scholarship Program
• The Secret to Winning a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship

list end

National Convention Reflections From National Scholarship Winners Deanna
Greco & Laura Etori

The following is reprinted from the Fall 2016 issue of The Sounding Board.
The 2016 NFB National Scholarship winners from New Jersey reflect on their
experiences at the national convention.

Deanna Greco

DEANNA GRECO just started her freshman year at The Catholic University of
America. She is a biology premedical student. Here is her story:

Imagine a place where there are 2,500 people using white canes and guide
dogs, a place where the sighted person in the room is in the minority. A
place where you feel accepted, loved and supported. I found this place at 
the National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention. I was fortunate 
enough to be one of the NFB’s 2016 Scholarship Winners. My past year has 
been similar to that of other students who are in the process of 
transitioning from high school to college. By January 2016, I was exhausted 
from writing countless college application essays, going to college 
interviews and working on maintaining my grade point average (4.5 GPA). Just 
like everyone else, I realized that college would be expensive, and 
therefore, I decided to apply for scholarships.
While looking online, I came across the NFB’s scholarship program. From the 
time I was diagnosed with cone rod dystrophy at age 8, my mother always 
encouraged me to join the NFB. We attended a few meetings with the New 
Jersey chapter, but I never had the desire to be an active member. I didn’t 
think that I needed the NFB. I honestly did not consider myself a part of 
the blind community. However, I decided that since I liked a challenge, I 
would apply for the NFB scholarship.
In early May, I received a call from one of the scholarship committee 
members informing me that I was a scholarship finalist. During this 
conversation, I learned that I would be required to go to the NFB National 
Convention, and this filled me with both excitement and nervousness.

I wasn’t anxious about meeting new people; I enjoy that. However, I never 
traveled out of state. The idea of getting on a plane and finding 
transportation to the hotel intimidated me. However, there are some things 
in life you have to do, and I knew that independent travel was one of those 
things. When I stepped into the hotel lobby, I became filled with a sense of 
accomplishment and relief. As I stood there, taking it all in, I heard the 
tap tap tap of hundreds of white canes. At first, this was extremely 
overwhelming. Yet, when I returned home a week later, it was strange not 
hearing all those canes. Looking back, I know that winning the scholarship 
was a blessing in disguise because it led me to this outstanding group of 
people.

Convention was a blast! From the moment I entered the hotel,to the second I 
left, I was participating in exhilarating activities. Regardless of whether 
I was at General Session or out to lunch with one of my mentors,I was having 
a delightful time. I knew that successful blind people existed, but I never 
witnessed such a large gathering of blind people in my life. The members of 
the NFB are determined, intelligent and, most importantly, compassionate. 
Before convention, I was unaware of the inequality that the blind community 
faces in all aspects of life. The fact that people are getting paid less 
simply because they are blind, or having their children taken away because 
close-minded individuals say, “How could blind people raise children?” is 
absurd. These issues need to be eradicated, and there is no doubt in my mind 
that the NFB will do exactly that.

This fall, I will be starting at The Catholic University of America as a 
biology premedical student. Having low vision, I know that I will encounter 
hurdles caused by my lack of vision in laboratory settings. Prior to 
convention, I did not know any blind people employed in the science fields 
that I could turn to when I face sight-related difficulties. This changed 
when I attended the Science and Engineering Division meeting at the National 
Convention. At this gathering, I met several blind people involved in fields 
such as chemistry and biology. I gained priceless knowledge about the 
accommodations that could help me achieve success at Catholic University. I 
also formed friendships that will last a lifetime. I do not use the word 
friendship lightly. There is a reason I did not use the word “networking.” 
The reason is that the people I met at convention are not business contacts, 
but rather they are family members that I know will always have my back.
Before I knew it, it was the last night of convention. I was sitting at the 
banquet surrounded by my new family. Between listening to President 
Riccobono’s compelling speech and laughing with the members of the New 
Jersey affiliate at my table, the four-hour banquet flew by. As the night 
came to a close, it was time for the scholarship ceremony. All of the 
scholarship winners received a beautiful print/braille plaque, a certificate 
for a KNFB Reader App, and
a $1,000 grant from Dr. Kurzweil. We also received a ChromeBook and $1,000 
from Google, and a certificate for an accessible science tool known as 
Talking Lab Quest from Independence Science. In addition to the generous 
awards listed above, each winner received varying scholarship awards. I 
received a $3,000 scholarship. I sincerely appreciate every award that I 
received that night. Yet, I would not be doing any justice to myself or the 
NFB if I did not share which award is closest to my heart. The special award 
that I cherish is my Federation family. So regardless of whether you are a 
blind individual looking for blind friends or a sighted parent searching for 
information on how to get the necessary accommodations for your blind child, 
join the NFB. I assure you that the National Federation of the Blind will 
embrace you with open arms, you will not be disappointed, nor will you ever 
feel alone.


Laura Etori

LAURA ETORI is attending Rutgers University and pursuing degrees in both
actuarial science and finance. Here is her story:

I love swimming, cooking and baking. I love my family; they are my biggest 
fans. I love being happy and most of all, I love the Lord and I am grateful 
to Him for everything in my life.

I am a Kenyan currently living and studying in New Jersey. I lost my sight 
four years ago due to a secondary effect of idiopathic intracranial 
hypertension.

I came to New Jersey for school. On the day of my arrival, someone stepped 
on my white cane and broke it. Soon after, at my aunt’s house, my cousin and 
I immediately investigated where to get a white cane. The first thing that 
popped up was “get a free white cane from the NFB.” Well, who doesn’t like 
free things, so I ordered one. My cane arrived soon, and I was back in 
business. A week later I received voicemail from NFBNJ Northeast Chapter 
member Alwin Glasgow asking how I liked the cane. In a later call, he told 
me all about NFB. Having read about NFB years ago, I always wondered if such 
an organization could be real. Alwin told me that, if needed, he would help 
me the best he could. We continued to correspond, and this past March I 
attended my first Northeast Chapter meeting. Then I applied for the 
scholarship, beating the deadline by a few days, and soon found myself in 
Florida for the convention.

>From the age of 12, I have always wanted to become an actuary, leading 
people to ask whether I loved math. Well, it’s not about loving math; it’s 
about having passion for what I love and for what I want to become. And, yes 
I love math. It’s all about commitment and having a vision.
Then I had a familiar feeling, like the one I had when I lost my sight, the 
same feeling I had when I left Kenya, and the same feeling I got when I 
realized I was a national scholarship finalist: Uncertainty, along with 
determination that there is something I am meant to do. On July 6, the 
convention was over,and all I could remember was the last night’s ringing 
speech by President Riccobono about fear. The voice in my head told me, 
“Fear will hold you back.” So I thought of the many things I had feared and 
how much I feared uncertainty, which was ironic since my life was filled 
with uncertainties. Four years ago I had not planned to be in Florida at 
that day and time; I certainly had never thought I would ever be blind. But 
now that life had developed that way, it surely was the best thing to ever 
happen to me.
Walking into the convention resort proved a big eye-opener. Where in the 
world would I ever have had the chance to be welcomed by the noise of a 
swarm of bees. Oh boy! Was I in for a surprise. It wasn’t actually bees, but 
rather the noise of thousands of white canes rolling or tapping the tiled 
floor of the hotel. I felt a bit flustered. This was my first time I had 
been around so many blind and visually impaired people, and I had mixed 
feelings.
As for orientation to the hotel, let’s just say that experience is the best 
teacher. I read and re-read the text description of the hotel and nothing 
stuck in my mind. I eventually learned my way around. I met so many people 
from different walks of life and with different stories. The other 
scholarship finalists were so impressive. They were happy and classy people. 
They had done and were doing really amazing things. I was most grateful for 
my mentors. From Sharon Maneki I learned that one must have a plan of 
action: “You cannot just be flowing with what everyone is doing; have your 
own goals and have a plan of action.” Ever Lee Hairston taught me how to be 
a believer: “If you decide to do or get something, believe in yourself and 
go for it.” John Halverson counseled that with time we accrue experience and 
get good at what we do; we only have to persist and be consistent. Cassie 
McKinney taught me the virtue of humility.At the Imagination Fund table, I 
watched her listen to and assist every single person who came to her, even 
if they just wanted to talk. She was happy and graceful throughout. Cindy 
Bennett taught me to always be at the top of my game: “Be your best and be 
the best. Know what you need to know and know even a little bit more and 
never fear to look good and fabulous; just be humble about it and keep it 
real.” Finally, Brian Miller taught me it’s never bad to know something 
extra. It’s good to be a diversified person and to improve yourself with 
different kinds of knowledge and to stay happy.

I thought about all these things and pondered how to use these insights to 
encourage change in people’s lives. Honestly, I felt a bit panicky, but I 
remembered that fear will stop me. I decided to rethink the concept of 
bravery. I realized it meant accepting people’s differences and individual 
challenges. Historically, I had felt like I did not want to experience 
anything different and that I had experienced enough. Now I realized I 
needed to grow in order to effect change and to have an impact on people’s 
lives. I do not know how I will help others; I guess that is one of my many 
challenges to figure out as I determine what I am really good at and how 
best to help others develop their own positive changes.

Now, each time I meet someone and am asked, “How did you find convention?” I 
talk about the importance of continuing to learn, because I believe that was 
the whole point of my attending the NFB 2016 convention. I hope we can all 
embrace change and let ourselves feel the shifting and evolving of our mind 
sets and lives.



NFB 2017 Scholarship Program

The National Federation of the Blind’s Scholarship Committee is accepting
scholarship applications from November 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017. This 
annual program offers thirty scholarships worth from $3,000 to $12,000 to 
eligible students, from high school seniors beginning their freshman year in 
the fall semester of 2017, up through graduate students working on their PhD 
degrees.
These merit scholarships are based on academic excellence, community 
service, and leadership. In addition to the money, each winner will receive 
assistance to attend the 2017 NFB annual convention in Orlando, Florida, 
held during the second week of July, providing an excellent opportunity for 
high-level networking with active blind persons in many different 
professions and  occupations.
Go to
www.nfb.org/scholarships for complete rules and requirements.



The Secret to Winning a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship by 
Patti S. Gregory-Chang
Reprinted from The Braille Monitor

>From the Editor: Patti Chang is the chairman of one of the most important 
committees of the National Federation of the Blind. She and her committee 
are charged with advertising our scholarship program and choosing thirty 
students who evidence academic success, leadership, and a demonstrated 
commitment to helping others. Here is Patti’s announcement about the 2017 
scholarship program:

Each July at our national convention the National Federation of the Blind 
gives a broad array of scholarships to recognize achievement by blind 
scholars.
We offer thirty scholarships, and all are substantial and prestigious enough 
to warrant any student’s time to complete and compete. Our $12,000 Kenneth 
Jernigan Scholarship is the largest. The NFB Scholarship Program is our 
investment in the future of blind people who demonstrate scholastic 
aptitude, leadership,and service. I encourage every blind college student to 
apply.
I am sometimes asked what the secret is to winning an NFB scholarship. I am 
going to tell you the secret. First of all, applicants must meet the 
eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship. All applicants for these 
scholarships must be legally blind; must reside in one of our fifty states, 
the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico; must be pursuing or planning to 
pursue a full-time postsecondary course of study in a degree program at an 
accredited United States institution in the fall academic year; and, if 
chosen as a finalist, must participate in the entire NFB national convention 
and in all scheduled scholarship activities.

Many think the key to becoming a winner is a high grade point average. 
Others believe it is based on participation in extracurricular activities. 
Still others think it is one’s level of commitment to the NFB. While grade 
point average is important because it demonstrates the ability to learn and 
be successful academically, it is not the only attribute that influences the 
scholarship committee. Participation in extracurricular activities is 
important in portraying oneself as a well-rounded person; it is not 
sufficient in itself to justify a scholarship award. Committed members of 
the organization recognize the attributes that are important to committee 
members when determining who wins a scholarship.

The scholarship program is a tremendous tool for us to develop future 
leaders of the National Federation of the Blind, but scholarship awards are 
not restricted to members of the organization. The National Federation of 
the Blind is an organization dedicated to creating opportunity for all blind 
people.
Recipients of NFB scholarships need not be members of the National 
Federation of the Blind. Many of our past winners were not even aware of the 
NFB before they applied for our scholarships. When you check the lists of 
past winners, you will see that students of all ages and in widely differing 
fields have won over the years. The class of 2016 included students entering 
their freshman year, as well as older students who were nearly ready to 
write their PhD dissertations. Past winners are working toward credentials 
for employment in diverse fields.
There is truly only one way to win an NFB scholarship: that is to apply.
Each November the new, updated scholarship application forms are posted on 
the Web at
www.nfb.org/scholarships,
along with important information about the contest, links to information on 
past winners, and a page of frequently asked questions. The application form 
for 2017 is already online. It will remain up until March 31. The process 
can be initiated with an online application, which we prefer, or students 
can ask for a print application by contacting our scholarship office at 
scholarships at nfb.org
or by calling (410) 659-9314, ext. 2415.

A complete application consists of the official application form and a 
student essay, plus these supporting documents: student transcripts, at 
least one letter of recommendation, and proof of legal blindness. The 
student must also complete an interview with the president of the applicant’s 
state of residence or the state where he or she will be attending school. 
High school seniors must also include a copy of the results of their ACT, 
SAT, or other college entrance exams.

Unfortunately, some applications are incomplete, so the committee is unable 
to consider them fairly. Applicants must ensure that all of the required 
information and supporting documentation have been received by our 
scholarship office either online by midnight EST, March 31, or by mail 
postmarked by March 31.
Students should carefully consider who can do the best job of writing their 
letters of reference. Letters should support the application by being full 
of facts and observations that will help the members of the committee see 
the applicant as a smart, active student and citizen. Students can write 
their essays using word-processing software. They should remember to use the 
spell checker (or a human proofreader) before uploading, printing, or 
copying and pasting it into the online application form.

In an effective essay the applicant will talk about his or her life in a way 
that gives the committee insight into him or her. The essay should cover the 
ways in which one lives successfully as a blind person and describe one’s 
personal goals for the future. Information about positions of leadership is 
especially helpful. Committee members give the essay a great deal of 
attention.
The NFB scholarship committee is comprised of dedicated, successful blind 
people, who will review all applications and select the top thirty 
applicants for the scholarship class of 2017. Note that students submit just 
one application to the program; the scholarship committee will choose the 
thirty finalists from all applications received. These thirty scholarship 
finalists will be notified of their selection by telephone no later than 
June 1.
Finally, during the annual convention held July 10 through 15, 2017, in
Orlando, Florida, the scholarship committee will decide which award will be 
presented to each winner. Attending and participating in the entire NFB 
national convention is one of the requirements to become an NFB scholarship 
winner.
Of course attending the convention is also a significant part of the prize.

The National Federation of the Blind’s national convention is the largest 
gathering of blind people to occur anywhere in the world each year, with 
2,500 or more people registered. Those chosen as scholarship finalists will 
have the opportunity to network with other blind students, to exchange 
information and ideas, and to meet and talk with hundreds of blind people 
who are successfully functioning in many occupations and professions. Our 
past winners often comment that the money was quickly spent, but the 
contacts they made and the information they gathered at convention have 
continued to make their lives richer than they had ever imagined.

Often students apply more than one year before winning a scholarship, so 
applicants are encouraged to reapply. The NFB may award three or more 
scholarships to men and women who have already received one Federation 
scholarship in the past if their scholarship and leadership merit another 
award. Individuals receiving a second NFB national scholarship are 
recognized as tenBroek Fellows. The secret, if there is one, to winning an 
NFB scholarship is to read carefully the application on our website, and 
then provide all of the required information and supporting documentation 
before the deadline of March 31.
However,I actually maintain that there is no secret. The only way to win an 
NFB scholarship is to apply.