NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MASSACHUSETTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM  

The National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts is pleased to be continuing its scholarship program.  NFB of Massachusetts is a membership organization of blind people and an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind.  NFB of Massachusetts is dedicated to promoting the full social, economic, cultural, and intellectual integration of all blind people into the life of Massachusetts and the nation on a basis of equality and partnership with sighted people.  Its scholarship program is just one of the ways in which it translates this dedication into accomplishment. 

THE SCHOLARSHIP. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic excellence, community service, and financial need.  It will be awarded in the amount of at least five hundred dollars.  It will be awarded to a blind student pursuing or planning to pursue a post-secondary education; there will be no restriction as to field of study or type of degree earned. 

ELIGIBILITY. Scholarship applicants must be legally blind.  They must be residents of Massachusetts or planning to pursue their education in Massachusetts.  (Massachusetts residents, however, need not attend a post-secondary educational institution within the Commonwealth.)  Applicants must have applied or be applying to post-secondary institutions of higher education on a full-time basis.  Finally, all applicants must provide all applicable information on the application, as well as all applicable documents requested. Scholarship applicants need not be members of the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts or the National Federation of the Blind. 

CONVENTION ATTENDANCE. The scholarship will be awarded at the Saturday evening banquet.  The scholarship finalist must attend the entire convention weekend from 5:00 p.m. Friday evening to its adjournment Sunday at noon.  Any finalist unable to meet this requirement will no longer be eligible for the scholarship.  This year's convention is scheduled to be held in Worcester, MA from April 25th through 27th, 2008.  Family members and friends of finalists are welcome to attend the convention, but separate reservations must be made.  Scholarship finalists may share hotel accommodations with other finalists or program alumni. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE. Scholarship applications must be received on-line no later than April 15, 2008.  Applications received after this date will not be considered. Note that this years deadline has now been extended.

DECISION. The scholarship committee of NFB of Massachusetts will meet in April and will carefully review all applications received by the above deadline.  The committee will make its decision in time to notify the scholarship winner on or before April 20 2008 so that he or she will have sufficient time to arrange to attend the NFB of Massachusetts convention weekend.  Hotel accommodations at the NFBM state convention will be provided to recipient in addition to the scholarship award. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

• Arrange for a letter of recommendation to be emailed on your behalf to
  scholarships@nfbmass.org
  or alternatively the letter may be sent via postal mail
• Arrange to have your most recent academic transcript emailed to
  scholarships@nfbmass.org
  or alternatively this documentation can be sent via postal mail to the address below.

Mailing Address:
Please mail any supporting documentation such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc. to:
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
NFB OF MASSACHUSETTS
C/O WILLIAM CUTTLE
5 SUFFOLK DRIVE #2
SWAMSCOTT, MA  01907 Click here to access the on-line application form.

Please also be aware that there is a separate national NFB scholarship program with an application deadline of 3/31/2008. You are encouraged to apply for both scholarships, though each has its own distinct application form and process. You can access the NFB National Scholarship Program and Application here.