As the 50th Biennial National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Conference winds down, I wondered what from the conference would be appropriate for me to blog about tonight, and that would have meaning for people regardless of whether they attended the conference. Then I thought about the conference "theme," which is in part, "invest in our future." When the conference started, the NAD made a special announcement that ties in to that theme.
To honor departing Chief Executive Officer Nancy J. Bloch, who is leaving after 18 years of service 
to the deaf community via the NAD, a new scholarship fund has been created to help NAD interns. This scholarship, the Nancy J. Bloch Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship, is meant to help the deaf and hard of hearing leaders of tomorrow. From the donor card that was given out at the conference:
The Nancy J. Bloch Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship supports enthusiastic deaf and hard of hearing students who want to dedicate their internship or co-op experience towards the protection of deaf and hard of hearing civil, human, and linguistic rights. The NAD has a long and distinguished history of advancing professional internship opportunities for young deaf and hard of hearing people at NAD Headquarters. Many NAD interns, inspired by the passion for our mission at Headquarters, went on to become leaders and advocates in their communities.
The Nancy J. Bloch Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship provides a financial stipend to assist with travel, housing, and other needs during an internship or co-op 10 weeks or longer. Preference will be given to deaf and hard of hearing students who wish to pursue law, policy, non-profit management or related advocacy degrees.
The scholarship plays on the theme of 18 years of service, giving donors the option of $18, $1,800 (one-time) or $1,800 in $150 installments over a year. Of course, contributions are tax-deductible.
If you have ever been a "starving student" on an unpaid internship, you can understand the need for this kind of scholarship.
I checked the NAD website to see how About.com readers who did not attend the conference could contribute to this new scholarship. The fund is new, so of course the NAD has not had a chance yet to update its online donation form (web and pdf). I looked at the PDF form and noticed that there is a Memorial/Honor section. About.com readers could select "In Honor Of" and write in "Nancy J. Bloch."
