Diabetes Scholars Awards $150,000 in Scholarships to Students with Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetes Scholars, a Program of Beyond Type 1, Awards $150,000 in Scholarships to Students with Type 1 Diabetes
SAN CARLOS, CALIFORNIA, June 18, 2020 — Diabetes Scholars, a program of nonprofit organization Beyond Type 1, is awarding over 50 scholarships to students living with type 1 diabetes this year. $150,000 in combined scholarships will be awarded to the Class of 2020 entering their first year of college—a record total for the program. These scholarships are made possible by individual donors and partner organizations committed to supporting the path to higher education and students living with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes Scholars is aimed at empowering success through education for people living with type 1 diabetes by offering scholarships to students entering college. Initially founded as the Diabetes Scholars Foundation by longtime advocate Mary Podjasek, the program has a vision of making diabetes an asset rather than a challenge in one small way. Since its inception in 2008, Diabetes Scholars has awarded over $1.75 million in college scholarships of up to $5,000 each. Diabetes Scholars became a program of Beyond Type 1 in 2018.
The Diabetes Scholars Class of 2020 is made up of 54 outstanding students representing 26 different states, selected from a pool of highly competitive applicants. These impressive individuals are advocates, student-athletes, scientists, writers, mathematicians, thespians, leaders in their respective communities and founders of their own non-profits. Each of them also lives with type 1 diabetes, a chronic, autoimmune condition that can occur at any age.
“Students living with type 1 diabetes manage an invisible and demanding condition in addition to their school work and extracurricular activities. It’s our honor to award these exceptionally deserving students with scholarships in recognition of their efforts and in support of bright futures,” said Beyond Type 1 CEO Thom Scher. “The Diabetes Scholars Class of 2020 paint an inspiring picture of the many ways people with type 1 diabetes live beyond their diagnosis. We wish them all the best as they navigate college and university.”
This year’s scholarships were made possible by Dexcom, JDRF, Lilly, Medtronic Diabetes and One Drop, as well as 16 scholarships provided by individual and family donors. With the generous support of scholarship sponsors, Diabetes Scholars is able to make a lasting impact on the future of students living with type 1 diabetes by providing scholarships year after year. 100 percent of scholarship funds donated by individuals or partners are awarded to recipients, with Beyond Type 1 absorbing all operational costs associated with the program. Beyond Type 1 is also sponsoring five individual scholarships as part of this year’s program.
Diabetes Scholars scholarships are available to graduating seniors with type 1 diabetes entering their first year of college or university in the United States. Scholarship applications open in January and are awarded by June 1 annually.
Get to know the Diabetes Scholars Class of 2020.
