The American Council of the Blind will present more than 30 scholarships and awards to outstanding blind students in 2004. All legally blind persons admitted to academic and vocational training programs at the post-secondary level for the 2004-05 school year are encouraged to apply for one of these scholarships. A cumulative grade point average of 3.3 is generally required, but extenuating circumstances may be considered for certain scholarships.
Applications and additional information will be mailed to all members of the National Alliance of Blind Students and to those who call the national office to request a copy. Both the information and application are also available on our web site at www.acb.org. Applications may be completed online, but supporting documentation must be submitted in hard copy print to Terry Pacheco in the ACB national office no later than March 1, 2004. If you have additional questions, please call Terry at (202) 467-5081 ext. 19.
Leading scholarship candidates will be interviewed by telephone in April. The ACB scholarship winners will be notified no later than May 31, 2004. Scholarships will be presented at the 43rd annual national convention of the American Council of the Blind to be held July 3-10, 2004, in Birmingham, Ala. Scholarship winners are expected to be present at the convention if they have reached their 18th birthday. Generally, ACB will cover all reasonable costs connected with convention attendance.
Former leaders in and near the ACB community who have been memorialized by generous benefactors include Delbert Aman, Dr. S. Bradley Burson, William G. Corey, Dr. Mae Davidow, Nicholas S. DiCaprio, Eunice Fiorito, John Hebner, Grant M. Mack, Alma Murphey, Floyd Qualls, and Arnold Sadler. Special thanks should also be extended to those who remembered Kellie Cannon and Duane Buckley in such fitting manners. The Ross N. and Patricia Pangere Foundation scholarships are also given as a way of giving back to the community.
ACB also administers scholarship programs for our affiliates in Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
We are hopeful that Kurzweil Foundation will continue its annual gift of the Kurzweil 1000 software to our winners.
This is our second year presenting Freedom Scientific Awards to several of our scholarship winners. These awards are for up to $2,000 in merchandise from the company.
Note: Potential candidates will be considered for other scholarships not yet verified, if available.