[NFBWV-Talk] Fwd: [State-Affiliate-Leadership-List] National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind Students
Sheri Koch
skochnfbwv at gmail.com
Thu Jul 18 20:47:31 UTC 2019
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Danielsen, Chris via State-Affiliate-Leadership-List <
state-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Thu, Jul 18, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Subject: [State-Affiliate-Leadership-List] National Federation of the Blind
Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind Students
To: Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen at nfb.org>
CC: Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen at nfb.org>
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
*National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind
Students*
*Emily Eagle of Texas Awarded Top $12,000 Scholarship*
*Baltimore, Maryland (July 18, 2019):* The National Federation of the Blind
(NFB), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind people, today
announced the winners of its 2019 scholarships, which were awarded at the
organization’s national convention in Las Vegas on July 12. The winner of
the organization’s top prize of $12,000, donated by the American Action
Fund for Blind Children and Adults, is Emily Eagle, an aspiring lawyer from
Texas. Attending her first NFB convention, Ms. Eagle told attendees in her
brief remarks at the convention banquet that she hoped to express her
gratitude by contributing to the organization throughout the rest of her
life.
In addition to their scholarship, each student received a plaque and a
$1,000 cash award from inventor and futurist Dr. Ray Kurzweil, an Acer
Chromebook laptop and a $1,000 cash award from Google, a JAWS or Zoomtext
license from Vispero, a $1,500 voucher towards the purchase of a Talking
LabQuest from Independence Science, and nine months of service from Aira,
for a total award for each winner with a minimum value exceeding $5,000.
Here is an alphabetical listing of the other twenty-nine winners, with
their home state and career goal or field of study. Unless otherwise
indicated, each student received a $3,000 National Nederation of the Blind
Scholarship:
• Amy Albin, New Jersey: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Makayla Bouchea, Georgia: Business Human Resources ($3,000 E.U. and
Gene Parker Scholarship)
• Tracy Boyd, Oregon: Clinical Mental Health Counselor ($8,000 Oracle
Scholarship for Excellence in a STEM Field)
• Kaden Calahan, New Mexico: High School Teacher
• Rashid Dème, Michigan: Human Rights/International Lawyer ($5,000 Mimi
and Marvin Sandler Scholarship)
• Eric Duffy, Ohio: Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator ($3,000
Charles and Betty Allen Scholarship)
• Skye Dunfield, Nevada: Victim Advocate ($10,000 Charles and Melba T.
Owen Memorial Scholarship)
• Amy Hatten, Minnesota: Rehabilitation Counselor
• Maureen Hayden, Pennsylvania: Marine Biologist ($3,000 Charles and
Melba T. Owen Scholarship)
• Gene Kim, California: Mechanical Engineering and Symbolic Systems
($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science)
• Jenelle Landgraf, Washington: Therapist
• Nina Marranca, New York: Clinical Psychologist
• Ana Martinez Larumbe, Louisiana: Social Worker ($3,000 Edith R. And
Alvin J Domroe Foundation Scholarship)
• Lucas Mebane, North Carolina: Biomedical Engineer
• Gerald Meredith, Virginia: Professor of Criminal Justice
• Pablo Morales, North Carolina: Business and Management
• Kaylee Nielson, Arizona: Lawyer ($3,000 Dr. Adrienne Asch Memorial
Scholarship)
• Erin Olsen, Idaho: Instructional Design for Vulnerable Populations
($5,000 Pearson Scholarship)
• Rachel Ooi, Tennessee: Law
• Amelia Palmer, Idaho: Electrical Engineering and Mathematics
• Aracely Rosillo, Georgia: Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
• Heather Schey, Rhode Island: Human Services
• Vanessa Sheehan, Arizona: Manuscript Editor ($3,000 Janette C. Eyerly
Scholarship)
• Brandon Shin, California: Law and PhD in English
• Derique Simon, South Carolina: Victims’ Rights and Disability Lawyer
• Georgie Sydnor, Massachusetts: Teacher of Blind Students and Braille
Transcriber
• Alicia Ucciferri, Texas: Civil/Human Rights Law ($5,000 JAWS for
Windows scholarship)
• Madelyn Walker, Texas: Pharmaceutical Oncologist ($5,000 NFB STEM
Scholarship)
• Ryan Wullschleger, California: Law
“The scholarship program is one of our most important initiatives,” said
Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We are
proud to honor these blind scholars, who are studying everything from
criminal justice to engineering, 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.”
Several hundred students competed for the scholarships. A committee of
blind people representing a diverse 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 Las Vegas, 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. Over 3,200
blind people, their families and friends, and other supporters attended the
convention.
Special thanks go to the Jesse and Hertha Adams Charitable Trust for its
support of the National Federation of the Blind scholarship program.
For more information about the National Federation of the Blind scholarship
program, please visit www.nfb.org/scholarships.
*###*
*About the National Federation of the Blind *
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is
the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded
in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the
fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of
blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families
with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We
believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to
transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and
initiatives at www.nfb.org.
*CONTACT:*
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org
This release is also available at:
https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-recognizes-thirty-outstanding-blind-students-3
Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.
Director of Public Relations
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+Street,+Baltimore,+MD+21230?entry=gmail&source=g>
(410) 659-9314, Ext. 2330 | cdanielsen at nfb.org
Twitter: @rlawyer
[image: National Federation of the Blind] <https://nfb.org/>
[image: Facebook]
<http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind> [image: Twitter]
<https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice> [image: Youtube]
<https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>
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.
_______________________________________________
State-Affiliate-Leadership-List mailing list
State-Affiliate-Leadership-List at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
State-Affiliate-Leadership-List:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org/skochnfbwv%40gmail.com
--
Sheri Koch, President
National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia
304-993-5103
More information about the NFBWV-Talk
mailing list