[NFBNJ] Scholarships, scholarships and more scholarships!

[Linda Melendez]

>From the desk of Lia Stone, NFBNJ  Scholarship  Committee chair


Our scholarship program is one of the most important tools we have to
continue to grow our movement and to support Blind people as they transform
their dreams into reality. With this in mind, I have set up a fundraiser
for my birthday to raise money for our state scholarships. I am asking all
who are able to consider donating as a means of supporting future Blind
scholarship winners (plus, it’ll be cheaper than a gift). The fundraiser
will be live for another week and a half and the link can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/donate/596756784772863/?fundraiser_source=external_url

Scholarships for 2022 are now officially open! The applications are due no
later than March 31, 2022 and can be found at www.nfb.org/scholarships. All
Blind college students are strongly encouraged to apply! Remember, the one
way to guarantee you won’t win is if you don’t apply!

The start of a new scholarship season means that it is also time to
celebrate our 2021 National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey state
scholarship winners. At our 45th state convention in November, we awarded 5
scholarships to some incredibly bright and talented students:

Kaleigh Brendle of Freehold is both a national scholarship winner as well
as the winner of the first Al Glasgow memorial scholarship donated by the
Northeast chapter. Kaleigh is a first year student at Villanova University
studying Pre-law and plans to become a disability rights attorney. At this
year’s convention Kaleigh was elected as president of the New Jersey
Association of Blind Students.

Anthony Oropeza of Elizabeth is the winner of the EDGE scholarship. Anthony
is a first year student at William Paterson University majoring in legal
studies and is interested in pursuing a career in either immigration or
civil rights law.

Treasa Praino of Morris Plains is our other national scholarship winner and
the recipient of the Sanjay Gupta scholarship. Treasa is in her first year
of her PhD program at Syracuse University where she is studying critical
disability studies in a global context. Prior to her PhD Treasa was a
Fulbright scholar in South Africa and intends to continue working in
sub-Saharan Africa.

David Vargas of Wanaque is the recipient of the Klaus and Michelle Zechner
STEM scholarship. David is a first year student at Passaic County Community
College studying math and plans to become a math teacher.

Jonathan Zobek of Kenilworth is the recipient of the Tom Ferry memorial
scholarship and as a result of his unprecedented third scholarship is the
first ever Ruffalo scholar.  Going forward, the Ruffalo scholar will be the
designee for any student who wins a second state scholarship. Jonathan is
in his final year of graduate school at Salus University where he is
studying to become a Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Jonathan is the
current vice president of the New Jersey Association of Blind Students and
the division’s immediate past president.

Let’s all congratulate this year’s winners and give them a warm welcome to
the federation!

Lia Stone, LSW

> evangeliastone at gmail.com
>
Personal: 917-570-3166
>
> Work: 973-634-0864
>
> Pronouns: She/Her
>
>
>
-- 
[image: National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Live the life you
want]

Greetings


Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
732-421-7063
president at nfbnj.org
*www.nfbnj.org* <http://www.nfbnj.org/>
*Facebook: **https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238*
<https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238>
*Twitter: **@NFBNewJersey* <https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey>
*YouTube: **NFBNJTransformDreams*
<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg>

*Live the life you want.*
*The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of
members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s
blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they
want.*
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