AFB Awards Scholarships to 11 Outstanding Students with Vision Loss
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has awarded its 2015 scholarships to 11 outstanding students who are blind or visually impaired and who are pursuing their studies at institutions of higher education. The grants support one of AFB's most important goals: expanding access to education for students with vision loss.
The awardees are as follows:
The Delta Gamma Foundation Florence Margaret Harvey Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $1,000 to an undergraduate or graduate student in the field of rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind or visually impaired.
Jessica G. Laurie has a Bachelor's degree in Health Policy and Management from Providence College in Rhode Island, and will begin studies at the Assumption College in Massachusetts this fall for her Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has a strong interest in advocacy, and is active in the area of disability rights.
The Rudolph Dillman Memorial Scholarship: Four scholarships of $2,500 each to undergraduates or graduates who are studying full time in the field of rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind and/or visually impaired.
Alexandra Futty is enrolled at Northern Illinois University, pursuing her Master's degree in Special Education. She's received a Fulbright Grant from the US Department of State to conduct research in the Caribbean. Alexandra volunteers with TAILS Humane Society to rehabilitate abused and neglected dogs.
Samantha Smolka is working toward her Bachelor's degree in Special Education at Northern Illinois University. She is an accomplished athlete and has trained with the US Paralympic track and field team. Samantha hopes to represent the United States in the Paralympics in the future.
Henry Bryce Wedler is pursuing his PhD in Chemistry at the University of California, and plans to become a chemistry professor. He looks forward to teaching science to students with vision loss. Henry has founded a nonprofit organization, Accessible Science, to encourage children with disabilities to go into the fields of science and math.
Thomas Patrick Wolf attends the University of Utah and is working toward his PhD in Rehabilitation Science. He has experience working in the fields of orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation, and low vision therapy. Thomas is an accomplished artist and a competitive snowboarder.
The Paul and Ellen Ruckes Scholarship: Two scholarships of $2,000 each to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student in the field of engineering or in computer, physical, or life sciences.
Miriam Lozneanu attends Clemson University in South Carolina and is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Miriam, who is deaf and visually impaired, hopes to work on computer applications aimed at people who have hearing or visual impairments.
Elaine Phillips will begin working toward her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall. In addition to being visually impaired, Elaine was born without one hand, and has developed electronic devices for both people with vision loss and those who can benefit from prostheses. She wants to continue working on engineering projects to assist people with disabilities.
The R.L. Gillette Scholarship: Two scholarships of $1,000 each to women who are enrolled in a full-time four-year undergraduate degree program in literature or music.
Savanah Baker is a student at Concordia University in Nebraska working toward her Bachelor's degree in English, with a minor in Psychology. She serves as managing editor on her school newspaper and works as a sports announcer for her school athletic teams.
Melissa Carney will attend Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts this fall, pursuing her Bachelor's degree in English. Melissa is a singer and was recently chosen to perform in the Eastern National Choir. She is also an avid horseback rider and skier.
The Gladys C. Anderson Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $1,000 given to a female undergraduate or graduate student studying classical or religious music.
Sharon Hastings will begin work toward her Bachelor's degree in Music Education this fall at the California State University. She has received a number of awards from her school for her abilities as a musician and for her academic achievements.
The Karen D. Carsel Memorial Scholarship: one scholarship of $500 to a full-time graduate student.
Teri Stroschein will attend George Fox University in Oregon this fall, working toward her Master's degree in School Counseling. She was an esteemed teacher of mathematics before losing her sight, and has since decided that she'd like to pursue being a counselor. Teri worked as a volunteer for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Alaska and assisted in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in New Orleans.
AccessNote for iOS has been updated to version 1.3!
- Keystrokes on Bluetooth keyboards now use the Command or Windows key instead of the Option or Alt key to activate and can be used anywhere within a note
- AccessNote now runs natively on iPad
- The old icons have been replaced with new, high resolution assets
- The settings screen has been simplified
And, of course, AccessNote is still FREE. Be sure to check out the new version.
Registration for IAAP Access 2015 is now open!
IAAP Access 2015 will be held October 21–23, 2015 at The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Henderson, Nevada located near the Las Vegas strip. Prepare to join your accessibility colleagues and experts in the field for IAAP's inaugural educational conference.
Register for IAAP Access 2015 by September 18, 2015 to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration rates. If you need any assistance with registration, please call IAAP at 202-367-1133.
You may book your hotel reservation now at The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa. For those for whom the link is not accessible, please contact The Westin Lake Las Vegas reservation team directly at 1-800-937-8461 to speak with someone and confirm your reservation. You may also contact IAAP directly at 202-367-1133 or info@accessibilityassociation.org to indicate your needs, and they will be happy to assist you. For more information, visit the IAAP Access 2015 Accommodations & Travel webpage.
Information on rates and registration, sponsorship opportunities, exhibitor information, conference schedule, accommodations and travel and more can be found on the IAAP Access 2015 webpage.
SciPlus: Scientific Calculators for the Visually Impaired
Sight Enhancement Systems (SES) recently announced the arrival of the new SciPlus-2500, which joins the popular SciPlus series of scientific calculators for people who are visually impaired. Like all SciPlus models, it provides:
- Large tactile keys
- A large multi-line display with adjustable contrast
- Adjustable display backlight
- A full range of scientific functions
SciPlus-2500 also offers:
- English/Spanish speech output, with more languages coming soon
- Evaluate and GRAPH mathematical expressions
For more information on the SciPlus-2500, or to find a representative near you, visit the website. You can also contact the sales team directly at sales@sightenhancement.com.
HelpMeSee Wins Three Awards at the 34th Annual New England Direct Marketing Association Awards for Creative Excellence Show
HelpMeSee, a global campaign to end cataract blindness, was recognized with three awards at the 34th Annual NEDMA (New England Direct Marketing Association) Award Show this month in Boston, MA. HelpMeSee's awards included a Gold and Silver Award for donor acquisition campaigns and a Gold Award for donor renewal.
The NEDMA Awards event honors creative excellence and innovation in categories that include print ads, direct mail, catalogs, interactive, integrated media campaigns and direct marketing on a shoestring. Over 150 industry leaders attended the celebration, which was held June 17, 2015 at Boston Common Hotel & Conference Center in Boston.
Award winners, selected from a pool of over 280 submissions, are judged on the creative elements as well as results.
"We're thrilled to accept this recognition for the work of our team and development partners," said Matt Kupec, Vice President for Development and Marketing at HelpMeSee. "Creative marketing is an invaluable part of our campaign to raise awareness of this global health need."
HelpMeSee's campaigns, done in partnership with RobbinsKerstenDirect, focused on the importance of cataract surgery and the dramatic impact it has on the lives of patients in the developing world. The affordable procedure is considered one of the most cost-effective healthcare interventions.
For additional information read Bill Holton's recent AccessWorld article, Help Me See: The Organization Dedicated to Eliminating Cataract Blindness Globally.
