For DonorsFor Applicants

Beaming Health Autism Post-Secondary Scholarship

$1,000
2 winners, $500 each
Awarded
Application Deadline
May 5, 2022
Winners Announced
Jun 4, 2022
Education Level
High School, Undergraduate
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school or undergraduate student
Background:
On the autism spectrum

Roughly 1% of the population has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), amounting to more than 75 million people.

Unfortunately, there still isn’t enough support for autistic students, preventing many from pursuing higher education and reaching their goals. Nearly 50,000 autistic individuals graduate from high school every year, but only 16,000 of those students go on to pursue a college education. 

This scholarship aims to support autistic students who are pursuing or planning to pursue post-secondary education.  

Any high school or college student who is on the autism spectrum may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, share an essay or video telling us about a dream or goal of yours and how higher education will help you achieve it.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Published January 4, 2022
Essay Topic

Please share one of your dreams or life goals and tell us how post-secondary education will help you get there.

0–600 words

Winning Applications

Lindsay Davis
University of ArizonaGoodyear, AZ
Karli DeMarco
Lewis UniversityLockport, IL
One of my biggest goals at the moment is to become an elementary teacher within the next few years. I will be attending Lewis University in the fall of this year to pursue my major in Elementary Education. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. I used to bring old/used textbooks home from school and "force" my little brother to play school with me. Of course, he was annoyed at my constant nagging when it came to wanting to teach him, but I ignored that. There was something special I felt when I saw him learning things that I was teaching him. He would pick up on material three years ahead of his grade and I felt accomplished. I thought, "I did that". Again, there was something special about that feeling. I would go on to volunteer for early childhood kids at my church and later move up to elementary. My heart fell in love with that age group. To this day, I still volunteer with these kids and continue to impact their lives just as much as they have impacted mine. In 2020 I was diagnosed with ASD. Although most people don't know I have ASD, it is still one of the hardest challenges I have ever dealt with. Over the past few years, I have learned more about myself and others; my eyes have opened up to a whole new world. I am able to understand more of how my brain works and how I am uniquely different than most other people. And I am okay with that. I know that I am special, but I also know I have to work hard to be the best person I can be and impact others in a positive way. Fortunately, I have found new ways to redirect and teach my students at church since my diagnosis. Understanding my own brain functions has helped me to recognize how other kids' brains work too. I find myself at a true advantage when it comes to connecting to my students and being a helping hand. Going to Lewis University to pursue elementary education is truly the next step in my journey to becoming the teacher I want to be. I will be able to have fun and learn so much about what it takes to become an educator. I will also continue to learn more about myself and how I will uniquely teach.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is May 5, 2022. Winners will be announced on Jun 4, 2022.