Courage Center Scholarships for Disabilities

Courage Center Scholarships

A variety of disabilities scholarships are offered through the University of Minnesota for students with disabilities. Among the various programs are the Courage Center scholarships for disabilities. One is called the EMPOWER scholarship. These disabled student scholarships are open to ethnically diverse students with disabilities. The scholarship program was established in 1994 and is made possible through the generosity of Adele Hersey, her family and the David Hersey Endowment Fund. Selection is based on achievements, intentions, need, and volunteerism. Consideration begins February 1st. The final date to apply for this scholarship is May 15th.

The Judd Jacobson Memorial Award is named for a business leader in Minnesota who became a quadriplegic following a diving accident. The Courage Center awards this disability scholarship. The scholarship is made possible through funding from Daniel J. Gainey. Mr. Gainey and Judd Jacobson were lifelong friends. In an effort to celebrate entrepreneurial spirit, the scholarship award was established in 1992 in order to recognize achievement or pursuit of a business endeavor by an individual with a sensory impairment or physical disability. Award recipients receive a $5,000 cash award for the purposes of advancing their business endeavor and a special plaque that is awarded at a Courage Center event.

The Jay and Rose Phillips Awards are given for the express purpose of stimulating interest in and encouraging employment of individuals with disabilities. The awards seek to recognize persons with disabilities who have achieved financial and vocational independence. A grant from the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation makes these awards possible. Selected winners will receive a $2,000 cash award along with a special plaque.

The Foundation also awards the Phillips Caregiver Award. This award acknowledges and honors vital contributions of a caregiver toward the quality of life and independence of an individual with a disability. Awards are administered by the Courage Center.

The Scholarships for People with Disabilities is provided in recognition of the fact that education can be a critical factor in obtaining meaningful employment as well as personal satisfaction. The scholarship offers financial assistance to students with disabilities so that they can increase career options and improve their quality of life through education and training.

The Courage Center Scholarship Committee administers the scholarship. Funding for the scholarship is made available through a private donation from Melvin and Sally Mooty. Scholarship awards will not exceed $1,000 in value. Scholarships through this program are awarded to individuals with a physical disability or sensory impairment who desire to gain technical expertise or who have educational goals beyond high school. The application deadline is May 31st.

The Marcia Bevard-Kulick Scholarship is awarded annually to incoming and current full-time students at the University of Minnesota at Duluth. Applicants must have a documented physical disability, including mobility impairment, legal blindness, or coordination impairments. Consideration for this scholarship begins April 6th.

The Courage Center is a non-profit rehabilitation and resource center based in Minnesota that serves adults and children experiencing barriers to independence and health. The Center specializes in treating spinal cord injury, brain injury, autism, chronic pain, and disabilities experienced since birth. The Courage Center was founded in 1928 and continues to offer innovation and advanced technologies through the efforts of thousands of donors and volunteers.

In addition to the location in Duluth, the Courage Center also has locations in Forest Lake, Burnsville, Stillwater, Golden Valley, and the Heritage Park Senior Center in Minneapolis. Each year, the Courage Center serves more than 11,000 clients through the provision of outpatient, inpatient, and community-based medical rehabilitation services.

The Center also offers an array of aquatics, fitness, wellness, sports and recreation, and camping programs. These activities are undertaken with the believe that one day all individuals will be able to work, learn, live and play in a community that is based upon abilities instead of disabilities. The Courage Center Disability Scholarships are just one way this organization hopes to help individuals with disabilities in achieving their educational and career goals