[Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind Students
Morey, Kristian
KMorey at nfb.org
Thu Jul 21 02:42:40 UTC 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind Students
Maria "Conchita" Hernandez of Washington, DC, Awarded $12,000 Scholarship
Baltimore, Maryland (July 20, 2016): The National Federation of the
Blind (NFB), the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind
people, today announced the winners of its 2016 scholarships, which
were awarded at the organization's recent national convention in
Orlando. The winner of the organization's top prize of $12,000,
donated by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults,
was Maria "Conchita" Hernandez of Washington, DC, a doctoral
candidate who is pursuing research on reading media assessments. The
other winners are listed below in alphabetical order with their home
states, vocational goals, and scholarship awards where applicable.
Unless otherwise indicated, each received a National Federation of
the Blind Scholarship in the amount of $3,000.
Tara Abella, IN: Elementary/Special Education Teacher
Justine "JJ" Aragon, CO: Rehabilitation Counseling
Deniz Aydemir-Doke, PA: Higher Education
Samrawit Biyazin, OR: Certified Public Accountant ($3,000 Charles &
Betty Allen Scholarship)
Megan Borella, CA: Business or Information Systems ($3,000 Expedia Scholarship)
Riki Danielle Burton, KY: Teaching Blind Students
Brennan Carman, NY: Medical Research ($5,000 National Federation of
the Blind Scholarship)
Merry-Noel Chamberlain, NE: Higher Education ($3,000 Charles & Melva
T. Owen Memorial Scholarship)
Nathan Clark, MD: Juvenile Probation Officer
Elif Emir Oksuz, OH: Mental Health Counselor ($5,000 Pearson Scholarship)
Laura Etori, NJ: Actuary ($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in
a STEM Field)
Jameyanne Fuller, NH: Law ($5,000 Mimi & Marvin Sandler Scholarship)
Deanna Greco, NJ: Brain Research
Nazanin Heydarian, TX: Medical Research
Sharon Jose, VA: Computer Science Engineer ($3,000 Adrienne Asch
Memorial Scholarship)
Matthew Miller, IL: Actuary
James Garret Mooney, AZ: Law ($3,000 E. U. & Gene Parker Scholarship)
Kathryn Olsen, IA: Physical Therapist
Chelsea Page, LA: Blind Instruction and Early Intervention
Precious Perez, MA: Professional Performer/Music Educator ($5,000
Larry Streeter Memorial Scholarship)
Donna Posont, MI: Naturalist
Syed Rizvi, MA: Health Informatics and Data Analytics ($8,000 Oracle
Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science)
Joe Rowell, MA: Public Interest Law
Kartik Sawhney, CA: Software Development ($3,000 Expedia Scholarship)
Kennedy Stomberg, MN: Research
Corgan Waters, TN: Pathology
Kathryn Webster, CT: Actuarial Science Consulting ($10,000 Charles &
Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship)
Kassidy Wilde, UT: Psychology ($3,000 NFB Science and Engineering
Division Scholarship)
Johna Wright, GA: Blind Education
"The scholarship program is one of our most important initiatives,"
said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the
Blind. "We are proud to honor these blind scholars, who are studying
everything from elementary education to software development, 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 NFB scholarships. A
committee of blind persons representing a 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
NFB convention in Orlando, 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.
Nearly three thousand blind people attended the convention, the
largest gathering of its kind in the United States this year.
In addition to the NFB scholarship, each of the thirty winners
received a $1,000 check and plaque from Ray Kurzweil, a Google
Chromebook laptop, a $1,000 cash award from Google, and a certificate
towards the purchase of a Talking LabQuest from Independence Science.
###
About the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create
obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life
you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
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