[Oabs] minutes from Friday

[Kaiti Shelton]

Thanks for volunteering to be our substitute secretary, Aleeha.  The
minutes look great!

On 12/21/14, Aleeha Dudley via Oabs <oabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Good evening and happy no finals, OABSters,
>      Below you will find the minutes from Friday's meeting. I
> attempted to include as many of the questions and answers as I could,
> while still keeping the meaning quite clear. So, Here goes! Have a
> merry Christmas, all!
>
>
> Ohio Association of Blind Students
> Monthly Conference Call
> Date: December 19, 2014
> Members Present: Aleeha Dudley, Kaiti Shelton, Brennen Kinche, Elif Emir
> Öksüz
> The meeting was called to order by president Kaiti Shelton at exactly 7:35
> PM.
> Our special guest for the evening was Patti Gregory-Chang, former
> president and current treasurer of the NFB of Illinois. Patti also
> chairs our scholarship program.
> I. Scholarship Presentation
> 1. goals of the presentation
> A. to present details about the scholarship program for those who
> might not be aware
> b. to encourage those of us who are aware of the program to spread the
> word about it to as many people as possible
> 2. The Program
> A. So far this year, Ohio has had no applicants. The application has
> been open for almost 2 months now. This means that we must share this
> information far and wide.
> B. There are four qualifications a student must meet in order to
> receive a scholarship from the NFB.
>  - must be legally blind in both eyes
>  - must be a U.S. citizen, or must show intent to remain in the country
>  - Must attend a US university in the fall after receipt of the
> scholarship. Most students must attend full time, although one
> scholarship is given to a student who attends a university part-time
> and works full-time.
>  -  Must attend the entirety of the NFB National convention in July.
>  C. It was expressed by several call attendees that the convention was
> the most valuable part of their scholarship because it provided long
> lasting networking and mentoring opportunities.
> D. FAQ:
>  - You do not have to be an NFB member to win a scholarship
>  - Essay: Be open with the committee and tell them who you are and how
> you handle your blindness. Do not give your life story.
>  - Your essay must demonstrate past leadership or the ability to lead
> in the future
>  - winners' essays often emphasize leadership
>  - many winners do not use all 700 words. This is merely a guideline,
> not a requirement.
>  - Many potential winners are removed from the running for not
> proofreading or being much too long-winded. Be concise and check your
> work.
>  - often times, the committee must be very picky. There were 600
> applicants in 2014 and 700 in 2013.
>  - Statistics show that online applications do better for some reason
> than the print ones. Keep the application electronic if you can. 2.
> Who can we reach out to with this information?
> A. Vocational rehabilitation counselors
> B. Fellow students
> C. Disability Services offices at universities: each of us should at
> least contact our own DS office
> D. Library for the blind
> E. other organizations for the blind: sightless childrens club, lions, etc.
> f. TVI's: they often know many blind students
> G. O&M instructors
> H. high school guidance counselors
> 3. Questions for Patti
> A.
> Q: Why does this application not seem to work with the Mac?
> A: Patti has not yet tried the application with the Mac this year,
> although it did work last year with the mac and VoiceOver. For
> technical questions like this, it is best to contact John Bergron at
> jbergron at nfb.org. He handles the techy side of things.
> B.
> Q. Are there any examples of winning content from previous years?
> A: Yes. If you go to nfb.org/scholarships, you will find a couple
> articles of interest.
> C.
> Q. How do I prepare if I am not yet a senior in high school?
> A. It never hurts to look at the application and start crafting your
> essay. The more you do this, the better prepared you will be at the
> time of your actual application.
> D.
> Q: What if your transcript is not an actuall reflection of your
> abilities due to the fact that you have had issues getting
> accommodations?
> A: Explain this as best as possible in your essay. Also, provide a
> letter or other supporting documents, explaining the situatiohn. You
> can also use a letter from your state NFB president.
> E.
> Q: Can I send my essay to be proofread by someone?
> A: Absolutely. There are many in Ohio who have won scholarships.
> Barbara Pierce is also a wonderful resource. It could also help to
> come back to your essay after a couple of days to get a fresh look at
> it.
> 4. You can contact:
> A. scholarships at nfb.org
> b. pattischang at gmail.com
> II. Kaiti was contacted by a task force within NABS that is compiling
> TEACHE act testimonials from students. Kaiti would like them as soon
> as possible. An email will be sent to the list about this shortly.
> Adjournment: the meeting was adjourned at 8:31 PM.
> Respectfully Submitted,
> Aleeha Dudley, Vice President
>
>
> --
> Aleeha Dudley and Seeing Eye Yellow Labrador Dallas
> Vice President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
> Email: blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com
> Follow me on Twitter at @blindcowgirl199
>
> The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.
> - Arabian Proverb
>
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-- 
Kaiti Shelton
University of Dayton 2016.
Music Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma