Support Your Foundation’s new Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign

The goal of this column is to share with the Maine Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members (you!) the essential details about the newest Academy Foundation fund raising campaign - the Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign. I’ll also encourage you to contribute and give you all the details you need to donate to this important effort.

Your Academy Foundation has just launched the Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign. Our goal is simple. We want to raise $1 million dollars in new scholarship revenue by June 1, 2025. These new dollars will allow the Foundation, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, to give $1 million dollars in scholarships annually for dietetics students at all levels of study – from undergraduate studies to obtaining a doctorate degree. This effort and Foundation scholarships will continue to emphasize inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. 

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A Bit of Academy Scholarship History
Our Academy Foundation was established in 1966 with a single donation to provide a scholarship for a deserving student. Now, more than 50 years later, Foundation donors, including thousands of Academy members, have helped the Foundation become the world’s largest provider of scholarships for dietetic students at all levels of study.  

Our Foundation opens its annual scholarship application within its application portal in mid-February each year with a deadline in mid-April. Students at all levels of study, including those enrolled in freestanding ACEND-accredited dietetic internship programs, are eligible to apply. The scholarship application process is relatively easy with one application. By completing the Foundation's singular scholarship application, applicants are automatically considered for all Foundation scholarships that they meet the eligibility criteria for. Foundation scholarships range in value from $500 to $25,000 each.

Fast forward to the present. For the 2022-2023 academic year our Academy Foundation awarded a record $860,250 in scholarships to support to more than 300 deserving students. The Foundation, with attention on inclusion, diversity, equity and access; nearly 60% of the individuals who received scholarships disclosed on their applications that they identify as a member of an underrepresented race/ethnicity. However, despite this impressive growth in the number of scholarships granted over the years, the demand for scholarships continues to outnumber the scholarships the Foundation can award almost three to one.

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Foundation Maine Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Members
Our Foundation makes an impact throughout the profession, including with members of the MAND. Over the last three years, your Foundation has invested $6,000 in MAND members by providing scholarship, awards and research grants to these deserving individuals.  Lindsey Mcvey and Peter Pace, are MAND members who are Foundation Scholarship recipients. 

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Your Support of the Make It a Million Campaign
Now to you. We need your help to reach our goal. Please consider a gift or set up a regular contribution. Every dollar matters no matter how large or small! Think back to when you were in school, did you encounter financial hurdles? Did you receive help from the Academy Foundation or another organization? Now is your opportunity to give back and help fellow and future colleagues who are struggling. Your gift to the Make it a Million Scholarship Campaign will help more students pursue their dreams, let’s make that happen!

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To reach our $1 million goal I’m asking that every MAND member make a donation. Every dollar helps us get closer to our goal. There is no better way to invest in our profession by helping to build the next generation of food and nutrition professionals. 

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You may make your gift online by contributing directly to the Foundation’s Make it a Million Scholarship Campaign Fund or to the Foundation’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Fund which supports students from diverse cultures and backgrounds. A donation to either Fund will count toward the goal to award $1 million in scholarships annually. Once you have donated, visit our Make It a Million homepage and download social media graphics and messages to share and encourage other Academy members to give generously. 

 

Thanks for considering a donation to this campaign!