The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association | USA (PWSA | USA) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1975 to enhance the quality of life of those affected by Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) through research, family support, and advocacy.
We are proud to offer scholarships of up to $25,000 USD to support providers in enhancing their understanding of Prader-Willi syndrome through clinical proctorships with experts in the field.
Guidelines for Clinical Scholarship Applications
The scholarship supports providers who are currently in practice in the United States and who presently care for or plan to care for patients with PWS to deepen their knowledge of Prader-Willi syndrome through directed clinical proctorship with experts in the field.
Providers who may apply for a scholarship include but are not limited to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, mental health counselors, behavior analysts, and educators.
The length and specifics of the proctorship will be mutually agreed upon between the applicant and the proctor.
The scholarship funds are intended to be used for the following, although other appropriate expenses will be considered as well:
- – reasonable expenses related to travel and lodging for the applicant to shadow a provider with expertise in Prader-Willi syndrome.
- – reasonable expenses and fees related to hosting the applicant on-site
Funding will be made directly to each institution according to the approved budget.
Awardees are required to provide a written progress report at the end of the proctorship and a long-term impact statement one year after completion.
Additional funding of up to $2,000 is available to support travel and expenses for attending the PWSA | USA national conference within 2 years of completion of the proctorship.
Special consideration will be given to new or early-stage providers to PWS, as well as those in underserved geographic areas or serving underserved populations (eg: adults, diverse populations, rural communities).
Scholarship Application: Submission Content [submitted as a single PDF].
1. Cover page including the following contact information for both applicant and proctor
- a. Applicant and Proctor names, roles, positions/titles
- b. Applicant and Proctor institution names, and types of institution [Educational Institution, Private Practice, Other (please describe)]
- c. Applicant and Proctor contact information: address, email, and phone number.
2. Essay (maximum 800 words)
- a. The applicant will describe their current practice, their motivation to participate in a proctorship about Prader-Willi syndrome, objectives, and how they will apply knowledge gained from the proctorship to their future practice.
3. Educational Component Description is limited to one page and should include:
- a. Site of proctorship
- b. Dates of proctorship
- c. Outline of activities during proctorship
- d. Supporting letter from the sponsoring proctor
- e. Supporting letter from sponsoring institution (if applicable)
4. Letter of reference for the applicant from a peer or supervisor
5. Short CV or NIH Biosketch [limit 2-pages] for the applicant and proctor.
6. A detailed budget
Please submit applications to: Stacy Ward at sward@pwsausa.org. If you have questions, please call (941) 312-0400.
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.