ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence: Eligibility and Requirements

The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) sponsors a scholarship program designed to recognize outstanding students in health professions. This article provides a detailed overview of the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence, focusing on its eligibility requirements, application process, and selection criteria. The scholarship aims to support students who demonstrate academic excellence and show significant potential for future leadership roles in the allied health professions.

Purpose of the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence

The primary goal of the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence is to acknowledge and support exceptional students in health professions who exhibit both academic prowess and leadership potential. By providing financial assistance, ASAHP aims to encourage these students to continue their pursuit of excellence and to become future leaders in their respective fields. Each year, ASAHP offers this scholarship to students enrolled in its member institutions, reinforcing its commitment to advancing health professions education.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence, candidates must meet several specific criteria:

Institutional Membership: Candidates must be enrolled in a college or school that is an institutional member of ASAHP.
Academic Standing: Candidates must have successfully completed at least one term (quarter, semester, trimester, etc.) at their institution.
Program Enrollment: Candidates must be enrolled in a career entry-level, degree-granting program. All degree levels are eligible, including associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs.
Discipline Restrictions: Candidates may be enrolled in any health discipline except those in the nursing, public health, psychology, or MOD-VOPP (medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy) group.
Financial Need: Financial need is not a criterion for eligibility.

These qualifications ensure that the scholarship supports students who are actively engaged in their education and are pursuing careers in allied health professions.

Nomination Process

The nomination process for the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence involves several steps:

Nomination by Institution: Each eligible institution may nominate one candidate for each round of scholarship awards.
Required Documents: A complete nomination includes the following items:
- Completed “ASAHP Scholarship Nomination Form.”
- A letter endorsed by the ASAHP Institutional Representative that supports the nomination and describes the qualities of the candidate.
- A current nominee’s resumé/CV.
- A one-page (not to exceed 200 words) typewritten essay from the nominee that addresses why she/he selected the health profession for which she/he is enrolled and what unique contributions she/he intends to make to the community’s health.
Submission Deadline: The nomination packet must be submitted via the online form by the specified deadline. For example, the deadline for 2025 was June 20th.

Submitting a complete and compelling nomination packet is crucial for candidates to be considered for the scholarship.

Selection Process

The selection process for ASAHP Scholarship winners is rigorous and thorough:

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Application Review: Upon receipt of applications at the ASAHP office, they are sent to a select group of members (e.g., ASAHP Past-Presidents or Members of the Board of Directors).
Determination of Winners: The select group of members will determine which students will be selected to receive scholarships.
Number of Awards: For 2025, seven students are expected to be selected for scholarship awards, with one of those seven being awarded additional scholarship and the title of Elwood Scholar.

The selection process ensures that the most deserving students, who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential, are recognized and rewarded.

Scholarship Benefits

The selected student will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Starting in 2014, an additional scholarship in the amount of $1,000 and the title of Elwood Scholar is to be awarded to the most outstanding Scholarship of Excellence recipient.

Important Dates

It is essential to be aware of the important dates associated with the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence:

Application Deadline: The final deadline is typically in June. For example, the deadline for 2025 was Friday, June 20th.

Applicants should verify the specific deadlines for each year to ensure timely submission of their nomination packets.

Notification and Publicity

Following the selection process, ASAHP takes several steps to notify and publicize the winners:

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Notification Letters: Letters to the winners will be sent under the signatures of ASAHP’s President and the Executive Director to the institutional representative after the recipients are recognized on the ASAHP UPDATE.
Scholarship Check and Certificate: The scholarship check and a certificate will be included with that letter.
Institutional Responsibility: The institutional representative is responsible for assuring that the winning student receives the check.
Public Recognition: Institutions are encouraged to use the award to honor the student publicly.
Publicity: Names and schools of winners will be included in various publications of the Association.

This comprehensive notification and publicity process ensures that the winners receive the recognition and support they deserve.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities within SHP

Rutgers School of Health Professions (SHP) offers several scholarships to support its students. By completing the SHP Online General Scholarship Application, applicants are considered for each of the scholarships for which they are deemed eligible. Some scholarships may require an additional personal statement.

Patricia M.

Patricia M. Scholarships are available for both newly entering matriculated students as well as continuing matriculated students.

Catherine and Kenneth T. W. Scholarship

The Catherine and Kenneth T. W. Scholarship is for full-time SHP students and is selected by a committee of SHP faculty, staff, and alumni.

Coordinated Dietetics/MSCN/DCN Scholarship

This scholarship is for full or part-time Coordinated Dietetics (GPA of 3.0 or better from a dietetic technician program), MSCN, MSCN Entry Level, or DCN students in good academic standing in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences.

Judith Yannariello, Ph.D. Scholarship

The Judith Yannariello, Ph.D. Scholarship is for PA Students who will be in their second or third year. This scholarship was established by her family in memory of Judith, who left a lasting mark on her classmates and the PA faculty. She was their “class mom” who offered support and wisdom in dealing with the challenges of both the PA Program and daily life.

Dr. Joseph A. Scholarship

The Dr. Joseph A. Scholarship is for PA Students who will be in their second or third year. Dr. Joseph A. Schwenkler was a family physician and Medical Director for the Rutgers University Physician Assistant Program. He made an unprecedented impact on the integration of PAs into the medical community of New Jersey.

Other Scholarship Programs

Drug Rehab USA Mental Health Scholarship

Drug Rehab USA offers a Mental Health Scholarship, a $2,000 award designed to support aspiring mental health professionals. The scholarship is open to students enrolled in any mental health degree program, including psychology, counseling, social work, and psychiatric nursing. Applicants must submit a compelling piece of content that explains why they are pursuing a mental health degree and outlines the difference they aspire to make in the future.

Rutgers SHP Physician Assistant Program Service Grant

The Rutgers SHP Physician Assistant Program offers a $1,000 grant to a currently enrolled PA student to help offset expenses for a local, domestic, or international Service Experience. The Program is committed to facilitating student service experiences and projects for students that will nurture sensitivity to a broad range of cultures and backgrounds, promote empathy, instill social responsibility and expand and strengthen the individual’s sense of self.

Tips for Applying

When applying for SHP scholarships, be sure to read the application directions carefully and follow all directions. Students who applied using the SHP General Scholarship Application will be notified by the end of the first week of September.

Importance of Interprofessional Education

ASAHP strongly endorses interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Support for IPE and IPCP is based on the idea that collaboration will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery systems to promote team-based, patient/family-centered health care. ASAHP serves as a collaborative resource and advocate for interprofessional education to students, faculty, professional accrediting bodies, and practitioners through instruction, research, and service.

Grants and Awards for Institutions

ASAHP offers the Award for Institutional Excellence and Innovation in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Health Care to recognize a member institution and/or industry member for outstanding achievement in IPE and IPCP. In addition to the award, several institutions will also be recognized as “Programs of Merit” by ASAHP.

Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grant

ASAHP also provides an Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grant to support innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration. The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty in an ASAHP member institution with a degree in an allied health profession.

ASAHP Interprofessional Innovation Grant Program

The Interprofessional Committee of ASAHP developed the Interprofessional Innovation Grant (IIG) Program to provide support for interprofessional collaboration research among the ASAHP membership. The intent is to provide recipients a competitive edge in securing additional funding by supporting pilot projects and further developing grantsmanship skill sets.

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