UCB is pleased to announce 38 recipients were awarded the 2019 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship. This year’s UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship program includes six additional awards. We awarded a $10,000 Joe D’Souza Memorial Scholarship along with five additional $5,000 scholarships for 2019.

The Joe D’Souza Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of UCB’s former global medical director and will be awarded annually to an applicant exemplifying qualities Dr. D’Souza was known for, including a persevering spirit and active engagement and a desire to make an impact in the community. The 2019 Joe D’Souza Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Victoria Gonzalez of Jackson Heights, New York.
    
UCB also continues to award the Epilepsy Leader Scholarships created in 2016 in memory of Dr. Jack Pellock and Dr. Sandy Helmers; each of these $10,000 awards go to applicants exemplifying qualities the doctors were best known for including a desire to advocate for and serve others, an interest in positively contributing to the epilepsy community, and a persevering spirit. This year’s Epilepsy Leader Scholarships were awarded to Brook Hodgeman of Saint Albans, Vermont and Kaitlyn Stewart of Portland, Oregon.

Of the awardees, nearly half are graduating high school seniors with the other half currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs. This year’s winners will begin the academic year this fall at 33 schools across the country where awards will support their continued education, with 18 winners planning to enter the healthcare field. Hailing from 21 states, this diverse group of passionate advocates includes people living with epilepsy or caregiving for someone living with epilepsy, including parents and siblings.

As part of the selection process, applicants share their personal experiences, academic pursuits, and community achievements as part of their application. A distinguished panel of people living with epilepsy, their caregivers, and medical professionals specializing in neurology then selected the 2019 recipients from a pool of more than 550 applicants from across the country.
 
Since its inaugural year in 2005, the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program has awarded nearly 500 scholarships totaling more than $2.4 million to deserving applicants in support of their undergraduate or graduate studies. The program is open to people living with epilepsy, their family members, and/or caregivers who demonstrate academic and personal excellence.

At UCB, everything we do starts with one simple question, “how can we create more value for people living with severe diseases?” The Scholarship Program is one way we aim to deliver what patients value by helping empower both patients and caregivers beyond the benefits of our medicines.  As part of our commitment to patients living with epilepsy, we are focused on continuing to innovate and find solutions for the individual needs of patients to help them live at their ideal.

Congratulations to this year’s winners! For more on the 2020 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship program and the application period which will open in November, visit https://www.epilepsyadvocate.com/family-epilepsy-scholarship.

2019 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Winners
 

• Victoria Gonzalez, Jackson Heights, New York - Joe D’Souza Memorial Scholarship
• Brook Hodgeman, Saint Albans, Vermont - Epilepsy Leader Scholarship
• Kaitlyn Stewart, Portland, Oregon - Epilepsy Leader Scholarship
• Mills Ackerman, Tallahassee, Florida
• Eli Arbuckle, Dallas, Georgia
• Tyler Boyd, Oceanside, California
• Morgan Busscher, Grandville, Michigan
• Kaitlin Calverley, Boise, Idaho
• James Castle, Hale Center, Texas
• Michelle Christensen, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• Kaedren Close, Littleton, Colorado
• Xavier Cruz, San Antonio, Texas
• Jennifer Dudley, Louisville, Georgia
• Hannah Enge, Thief River Falls, Minnesota
• Cole Grizzell, Aurora, Illinois
• Hallie Guidry, Ragley, Louisiana
• Cienna Haller, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• Katherine Kennedy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Natalie Knepper, Mokena, Illinois
• Skyler Krull, Boulder, Colorado
• Paige Marinelli, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
• Mariah Mayhugh, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Connor McCagg, Hudson, New York
• Elinor Munson, Decatur, Georgia
• Meagan Patrick, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Kylee Popovich, Sterling, Virginia
• Rosemary Reeves, Wilmington, North Carolina
• Matthew Schaefer, Stafford, Virginia
• Tara Silberg, Jericho, New York
• Emma Tollefson, New Richland, Minnesota
• Krista Veldheer, Torrance, California
• Rachel Walz, Pitman, New Jersey
• Amie, Tucson, Arizona
• Griffen, State College, Pennsylvania
• Nolan, Houston, Texas

*Note: Winners names are included with their permission. Some winners opted not to have their names included in this announcement.