Childhood Cancer Survivors Win College Scholarships from The National Children’s Cancer Society

ST. LOUIS - Sept. 5, 2014 - PRLog -- Forty college-bound childhood cancer survivors from across the US have been awarded college scholarships totaling $140,000 from The National Children’s Cancer Society’s (NCCS) (http://www.thenccs.org/)  Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program (http://www.beyondthecure.org/scholarships).The program provides financial assistance to survivors as they move forward with their lives after cancer. This support helps empower young survivors to achieve their educational, professional and personal goals.

Applicants must be childhood cancer survivors living in the US, under the age of 25 and diagnosed before the age of 18. The program is open to all childhood cancer survivors who currently attend or plan to attend an institution of higher education in the US.

“The scholarship recipients serve as role models for all of us in how to turn a challenge into something positive,” said Mark Stolze, president and CEO of the NCCS. “The scholarship program is designed to help these survivors move forward in life in a meaningful way.”

To date, the program has awarded over $500,000 in scholarship money to childhood cancer survivors across the country. The NCCS is deeply grateful to the BNSF Railway Foundation, the Energizer Charitable Trust, and the Englehardt Family Foundation for their generous support of the program.

The 2014-2015 scholarship winners span the country and plan on attending a diverse group of schools in the upcoming academic year.

BTC Scholars     Hometown          School attending in 2014-2015

Caitlin Adkins          Norton, VA          University of Virginia

Emmanuel Agyemang Savannah, GA          University of Georgia

Jackson Allison          Atascadero, CA          University of California-Berkeley

Cara Antonaccio         Long Valley, NJ         Penn State University

Rachael Avery          Charleston, SC          College of Charleston

Natasha Bear          Marietta, GA          George Washington University

Cassie Bess          Durant, OK          Kiamichi Technology Center

Lenn Brown          Rockaway, NJ          Syracuse University

Montana Brown          Thomasville, GA        Georgia Regents University

Dean Brownworth         Merrick, NY         University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Helena Exeni          Dalton GA          University of West Georgia

Tyler Galvelis          Holland, PA          University of Pittsburgh

Kelsey Gillis          Scottsdale, AZ          Azusa Pacific University

Hyrum Judd          Cave Creek, AZ          Midwestern University

Neha Kundagrami          Bethesda, MD          University of Maryland- College Park

Ceili Leahy          Fredericksburg, VA         University of Virginia

Melinda Marchiano          Nipomo, CA          Pepperdine University

Jake Martell          Stillwater, MN          University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire

Benjamin Melancon          Eunice, LA          Mississippi College

Madison Merrifield          Winder, GA          Johnson & Wales University

Helen Montie          Lincoln, MA          University of Massachusetts-Amherst

John Richey          Davidsonville, MD     Towson University

Adam Rose          Shelby, MI          Kettering University

Shoshana Rudin          Madison, WI          University of Chicago

Clarissa Schilstra          Ellicott City, MD         Duke University

Kaylee Siegfried          Rockledge, FL          Florida Atlantic University

Rachel Steele          Orem, UT          Utah Valley University

Megan Tapp          Dexter, MN          Wartburg College

Alexandra Timmer          Scottsdale, AZ          Truman State University

Jennifer Toth          Vienna, VA          University of Pennsylvania

Kane Weinberg          Trenton, IL          Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Megan Wynne          Clementon, NJ          Brigham Young University

Energizer Scholars

Joanne Chung          Holland, OH          University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Steven Dulin          Hickory, NC          University of North Carolina-Charlotte

Virginia Finigan-Carter    Randolph Center, VT          Eckerd College

Kodi Jones          Battlefield, MO          Ozarks Technical Community College

Brian Moore          Cincinnati, OH          Manhattan School of Music

BNSF Railway Scholars

Jenna Heim          Simi Valley, CA          California State University-Northridge

Carolyn Hudson       Leawood, KS          Oklahoma State University

Cecilia Wang          Beaverton, OR          University of Oregon          Robert D. Clark Honors College

Beyond the Cure (www.beyondthecure.org) was established to help childhood cancer survivors integrate the cancer experience into their lives. This includes educating survivors on the challenges that lie ahead and most importantly, to celebrate survivorship.

The National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to improving the quality of life for children diagnosed with cancer and their families worldwide. The NCCS serves as a financial, emotional and educational resource for those in need at every stage of illness and recovery. For more information call 314-241-1600 or visit theNCCS.org.