Scholarships program for disabled students launched

The organization American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is offering several scholarships worth about $1,000 each for high school graduates and graduate-bound students to attend four-year universities and graduates schools across the nation.

All applicants must be high school graduates, or bachelor's degree recipients, have documented disability and provide documentation of their disabilities.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents living in this country. They need to be enrolled in, or accepted by, an accredited US four year university or graduate school on a full-time basis.

Preference will be given to students majoring in public health, disability studies, health promotion or a field related to disability and health, and all the topics that can be included in disability policy and disability research.

The mission of the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is to contribute to national, state, and local efforts to promote health and wellness in people with disabilities and identify effective intervention strategies that reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population. AAHD accomplishes its mission through research, education and advocacy at the national, state and community level.

In 2008, AAHD launched the "Disability and Health Journal" (DHJ), the first peer reviewed, scientific, scholarly and multidisciplinary journal that focuses on health promotion and wellness for people with disabilities. Royalties from the DHJ will fund the first year of the AAHD scholarship fund.

In 2009, AAHD created the AAHD scholarship program. As this is the first year of the scholarship program, funds are limited. Scholarships will be competitive. The AAHD board of directors scholarship committee will evaluate each of the applicants and make a decision.

The first AAHD scholarship award will be on December 2009. The scholarship committee will determine how many scholarships will be awarded each year, and the amount of each scholarship.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CRITERIA

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant must provide a Personal Statement (maximum 3 pages-double spaced), including brief personal history, educational/career goals, extra-curricular activities, and reasons why they should be selected to get the AAHD scholarship. This Statement must be written solely by the applicant.

Applicant must provide three letters of recommendation (one must be from a teacher or academic advisor).

Applicant must provide an official copy of high school transcript as well as college transcript (if applicable).

Applicant must agree to allow AAHD to use their name, picture and/or story in future scholarship materials.

Please mail applications to:
AAHD, Att: Scholarship Committee, 110 North Washington St., Suite 328J, Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 545-6140. To download an application, visit http://www.aahd.us. Only completed applications will be considered. They need to be postmarked by Nov. 15, 2009.

Please e-mail Roberta Carlin, AAHD executive director at rcarlin@aahd.us, or call (301) 545-6140 ext. 206 if you have any questions.