Scholarships for students with disabilities

The Organization for Autism Research's scholarship program awards scholarships to students across the autism spectrum. The Schwallie Family Scholarship supports undergraduate students attending two- or four-year universities. Schwallie applicants typically pursue degrees at four-year universities. Students attending two-year universities with the intention of completing a four-year degree also typically apply to the Schwallie Scholarship. Many applicants with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome choose to apply for this program. This is optional but strongly encouraged, students may submit a letter of recommendation from a non-relative. Applicants do not need to include proof of diagnosis with the application. OAR will only require proof of diagnosis from applicants identified as finalists. However, each applicant should review the Proof of Diagnosis Checklist on OAR's website before applying to ensure that they will have the required documentation if chosen as a finalist. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Organization for Autism Research for more information.

The Organization for Autism Research's scholarship program awards scholarships to students across the autism spectrum. The Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship supports students attending two-year undergraduate colleges; life skills or post-secondary programs; or vocational, technical, or trade schools. Hussman applicants typically make up the pool of talented students who face daily challenges related to autism and attend programs that assist in skill building, job readiness, and other transition-related skills. Two letters of recommendation are required, one must be from a parent or guardian and one from a non-relative. Applicants do not need to include proof of diagnosis with the application. OAR will only require proof of diagnosis from applicants identified as finalists. However, each applicant should review the Proof of Diagnosis Checklist on OAR's website before applying to ensure that they will have the required documentation if chosen as a finalist. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Organization for Autism Research for more information.

PlaceWorks has established a scholarship program to assist current undergraduate and graduate students in California who are pursuing a degree in Planning, Urban Design and/or Architecture, Environmental Planning, or Landscape Architecture. Applicants must be a member of one or more historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to, American Indian or Alaska Native, Arab or Middle Eastern, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, veterans, disabled individuals, or first-generation college students. PlaceWorks employees and their children are not eligible. Awards are not renewable, but students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. One online recommendation form must be submitted on the student's behalf no later than May 1, 2025. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Scholarship focuses on broadening the number of traditionally underrepresented groups in the management and operation ranks of the transportation, travel and tourism industry. Applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada. They must have a declared major or course of study relevant to the transportation, travel and tourism industry. Transportation, travel and tourism encompass a varying range of professions from accounting to hospitality management and everything in between. Applicants must either: have a physical or sensory disability, as defined by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act; or be a child of a wounded U.S. or Canadian military veteran; or be a veteran of the U.S. or Canadian military. All American applicants must submit the FAFSA, while all Canadian applicants must submit the Canadian T1 Tax Form. High school transcripts or Secondary School Records are required for College Freshman and Sophomores, only, to apply. College or university transcripts are required for college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, only, to apply. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Patricia Schroder Memorial Scholarship was established in honor of Pat, who had a big heart for helping others and devoted her life to assisting, teaching, and coaching students with disabilities. She worked as a special education teacher's assistant at various schools across the Evergreen School District after earning her Masters, she moved to White Salmon, Washington, where she taught at Columbia High School. The scholarship will be awarded to students who have either experienced challenges such as development, emotional and/or physical disabilities; or to students who have worked with or volunteered with students that experience challenges such as development, emotional and/or physical disabilities. Students selected to receive this scholarship must have graduated from a high school in one of the following school districts: Evergreen School District in Clark County, WA; Camas School District in Clark County, WA; White Salmon School District in Skamania County, WA; or Frisco Independent School District in Collin and Denton Counties, TX. Applicants who have worked and/or volunteered with students with disabilities must answer a short question of briefly describing their experiences. Applicants with a documented disability must submit documentation. Acceptable documentation may include an IEP, 504 plan, official letter from doctor or qualified provider, or accommodation letter from the applicant's school. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington for more information.

Maradee Potter established this scholarship to honor her husband, John who died in 2021. John retired from his career as a proofreader legal editor. John and Maradee were married for 36 years. Maradee is honoring her husband and her work to provide scholarships for students who have graduated from high schools located in Clark County, Washington and have been a recipient of Special Education services with a documented disability. Applicants must provide the name of the high school and the year/s they received Special Education services. Applicants must also submit documentation of their disability. Acceptable documentation may include an IEP, 504 plan, official letter from doctor/qualified provider, or accommodation letter from the applicant's school. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington award's website for more information.

The Kathi Joy Wiley Scholarship has a strong interest in supporting the most marginalized populations of students who are pursuing any post-secondary education pathway, including all the following: degrees, certificates, proficiencies, or hands-on career skill building. Career pursuits can be anything from Pre-Medicine or Welder, to Certified Truck Driver, or Tattoo Artist, and the list of career pursuits is endless. The scholarship intent is to provide the potential to lift a student out of the circumstances they are in, if they so desire. Students selected to receive this scholarship must be residents of Southwest Washington who are or have been affected by any of, but not limited to, the following circumstances: being a single parent or a widow; being a foster youth or young adult who has aged out of the foster care system (formal or informal); incarceration of self or parents; being an immigrant or refugee, or second-generation immigrant or refugee; living in poverty; have experienced instability in housing and/or being unhoused; living with a disability (developmental, intellectual neurodivergent, physical) or have behavioral issues; recovery from addiction or affected by addiction; identify as LGBTQ2S+; or being a survivor of domestic violence, gender violence, and/or child abuse. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington award's website for more information.

The Michael D. Harding Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Michael (Mike) Harding. In 1969, Mike enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a helicopter pilot. After military service, Mike earned a B.S. degree in education and a Master's degree from Evergreen State University. Mike began his teaching career at Fort Vancouver High School in the mid-1980's, teaching special education. Applicants must be a graduating senior from Columbia River High School who will continue their education at an accredited college, university, technical or career school during the upcoming school year. They must plan to register for a minimum of 8 credits per academic term. Preference will be given to students who received assistance from Special Education Services; with financial need; and/or those planning to attend a public educational institution in Washington State. Applicants may submit documentation of their disability or proof of Special Education services received at Columbia River High School. Acceptable documentation may include an IEP, 504 plan, official letter from doctor or qualified provider, or accommodation letter from the applicant's school or teacher. Students should demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to athletics, clubs, community service, and employment. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington for more information.

The Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship is a competitively awarded program available to undergraduate students with disability(ies) enrolled in an eligible university. Students must be seeking their first baccalaureate degree. Applicants must provide documentation of their disability, which may fall on one of the following categories: Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Blind or Low Vision; Deaf/Hard of Hearing; Orthopedic Disability; Psychological, Emotional, or Behavioral Disability; Speech/Language Disabilities; Specific Learning Disability; Traumatic Brain Injury; and other health disabilities not identified in this subsection deemed by a disability professional to make completion of the requirement impossible. Two letters of reference must be submitted. One letter may be an academic reference addressing the applicant's academic success and potential; and one letter may be a personal reference. Applicants must submit application materials to the appropriate university contact person(s) listed at the end of the application. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.