Guest Author - Carla Ruschival
The American Council of the Blind presents thousands of dollars in scholarships and awards to more than two dozen outstanding blind and visually impaired students each year.
Any student who is legally blind in both eyes and who is admitted to a college or vocational training program at the post-secondary level is encouraged to apply. A grade-point average of 3.3 is generally required.
There are scholarships for entering freshmen, vocational school students, graduate students, business and computer majors, and much more. Some scholarships target students residing in specific states. There are also general scholarships open to anyone regardless of year in school, area of study or place of residence within the United States. There are even scholarships for part-time students.
Deadline for submission of applications and all supporting documentation is March 1 of each year. The ACB Scholarship Committee reviews all applications that are complete (no missing pieces of documentation). Leading candidates are then interviewed by telephone in April, and winners are notified in late May or early June.
Scholarships are presented at the annual convention of the American Council of the Blind, held each year during the first part of July. In 2009, the 48th annual ACB convention will be held from July 3 to July 11 in Orlando, Florida.
Scholarship winners are expected to attend the ACB national convention if they are 18 years of age or older. ACB covers all reasonable costs connected with convention attendance (airfare, hotel accommodations, and a per diem for meals). This is a fabulous chance for learning about the latest technology adapted for use by people with low vision, for learning about career opportunities, for discussing issues with peers from across the nation, and for networking with others in the scholarship winner's chosen field of study.
Applicants must submit the following documents along with the application form in order to be considered for an ACB scholarship:
* Autobiographical sketch: No more than two (2) pages. Include information about personal goals, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, honors, achievements, etc. Be sure to list your field or courses of study and why you chose it.
* Certification of legal blindness from an ophthalmologist, optometrist, physician, rehabilitation counselor or other competent authority.
* Certified transcripts from the current school attended, high school (for entering freshmen and sophomores), and undergraduate school (for graduate students).
* Letter of remommendation from a current or recent instructor.
* Proof of acceptance from a post-secondary school (required of entering freshmen and transferring students). If such letter has not been received by the scholarship application deadline, include a note stating that the letter will be forwarded to ACB upon receipt from the school.
All materials must be printed; no handwritten documents are accepted. Applications are considered complete only upon receipt of supporting documents.
For more information, or to obtain an application form, visit the American Council of the Blind website, or call the ACB National Office at 800-424-8666 or 202-467-5081.
