2014 L.I.F.E Scholarship Finalist Announcement

L.I.F.E. received close to 100 applications from college students with lupus throughout the country. Due to the quantity of outstanding applicants selecting the winners has proven to be difficult. Therefore, the 2014 L.I.F.E. Scholarship Committee--for the first time--has chosen to announce the 31 finalists.

Being selected as a finalist is a considerable honor as the competition is at an all-time high. The following finalists’ applications have been nothing short of amazing. The essays on "How Lupus has Affected Your Life" are inspirational. The letters of recommendation, grades, and volunteer work/community service are all remarkable.

Funding for this year allows us to offer L.I.F.E. Scholarships to 16 of the 31 finalists.

The winners will be announced by August 15th. If you are not selected as a winner, we strongly encourage you to apply again in 2015.

Outstanding job to all of the finalists! Thank you for sharing your story and for continuing to persevere despite the setbacks of lupus.

1.     Alexandra Schueszler  Kent State University, OH

2.     Allie White  University of Arkansas

3.     Brina Olunkwa  Hofstra University, NY

4.     Davis Vertin  University of Central Florida

5.     Destinee Osborne  Massachusetts College of Art and Design

6.     Destini Thomas  University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, OH

7.     Eilen Cabrera  Johnson and Wales University, FL

8.     Ewodaghe Harrell  Brown University, RI

9.     Gianna Raponi  Rollins College, FL

10.  Haley Hahn  University of Illinois

11.  Jacqueline Saunders  Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, MI

12.  Jolene Milewski  Temple University Tyler School of Art, PA

14.  Katelynn Henderson  University of New Mexico

15.  Lauryn Bille  University of Nebraska- Lincoln

16.  Linda Zhang  University of California- Berkeley

17.  Mariana Lombardi  University of Pennsylvania

18.  Mattie Newman  Harvard University, MA

19.  Natasha Dunkoh  Columbia College Chicago

20.  Natasha Pacheco  University of Massachusetts Lowell

21.  Patricia Lawlis  University of Chicago

22.  Powers Brennan  University of Massachusetts Amherst

23.  Robyn Doughty St. Olaf College, MN

24.  Ronald Echols  Atlanta Metropolitan State College, GA

25.  Savannah Valentin  The College at Brockport, State University of New York

26.  Shayna Spencer  University of Rhode Island

27.  Sydney Rizzo  College of Charleston, SC

28.  Tamara Hill  Mohave Community College, AZ

29.  Trang Nguyen  George Mason University, VA

30.  Vanessa Fuentes  Baylor University School of Law, TX

31.  William Aguilar  John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NY

Reminder: Application Deadline July 1st

Set your reminders! L.I.F.E Scholarship applications for the Fall 2014 school year must be postmarked on or before Tuesday, July 1st. To apply, click here.

Want to know what makes a great applicant? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to find out.

L.I.F.E is now on Facebook!

L.I.F.E has officially launched our official Facebook page to keep you, your friends and family in the loop about L.I.F.E's latest updates! Find out about recent fundraising events, the latest information about upcoming applications and winners as well as valuable information and resources for coping with lupus and spreading awareness.

Click here to view the page. Be sure to invite your friends to like us as well! 

2013 L.I.F.E Scholarship Winner Featured in East Valley Tribune

Antoinette Grimes, recipient of the 2013 L.I.F.E scholarship, was recently featured in the East Valley Tribune, a newspaper in her hometown of Phoenix. The article puts into focus her difficult but inspiring journey with lupus- how she struggled with telling her family, was forced to leave the military, lost university scholarships but ultimately did not let lupus ruin her life and hopes that others with lupus don't either. She continues to make a difference in others' lives through working as a lupus support group facilitator, advocate for female veterans, and a personal trainer for people with disabilities. Check out the full article here!

L.I.F.E Promotes Lupus Awareness at Golf Tournament

“The first step toward change is awareness.
”

— Nathaniel Branden

Three ladies participating in the Diva's Golf Tournament

Lupus Inspiration Foundation for Excellence seeks not only to provide merit-based scholarships to lupus students, but to promote awareness of this debilitating disease. The means to cure lupus is not currently available, but making the public aware of this disease is the first step to finding a solution.

On April 2, 2014, the Golfing Diva’s of Crooked Tree Golf Course (Tucson, Arizona) hosted a women’s golf tournament encompassing 80 women with 4-person teams. Delores Norton, Diva Member, graciously sponsored two holes on the behalf of L.I.F.E for a double awareness impact. Signs were placed next to the sponsored golf holes and pamphlets were distributed to participants, promoting both the foundation and lupus awareness.

L.I.F.E sign posted at Diva Golf Tournament

Jodi Norton, president of L.I.F.E, volunteered to design beadwork for the golf tournament, placing over 2,000 beads on gift bags and various golf items such as divots, visors and golf attire. The Diva’s also held a 50/50 Drawing. Half of all the drawing proceeds went to L.I.F.E. resulting in a donation of $345!

L.I.F.E & lupus awareness sign placed at two golf holes sponsored by Delores Norton

L.I.F.E sign posted at Diva Golf TournamentL.I.F.E & lupus awareness sign placed at two golf holes sponsored by Delores Norton

Jodi spent over 50 hours placing thousands of beads on various golf items like this visor, used for the tournament gift bags.

You shop. Amazon gives!

Amazon.com will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchase to L.I.F.E.- an automatic way to support L.I.F.E without increasing the cost of your product! Simply click here or go to smile.amazon.com and select Lupus Inspiration Foundation for Excellence as the charity of your choice.

Tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

L.I.F.E 2013 Winners Featured in Central Florida Future

2013 L.I.F.E Winners, Bethany Martinez and Jenna Trowbridge, are featured in the University of Central Florida newspaper, the Central Florida Future! The article not only recognizes their merits but also raises awareness of L.I.F.E and of lupus. Read the article here. Continue to spread the cause by clicking 'share'!

Congratulations to the 2013 L.I.F.E Scholarship Winners

This year was especially difficult for us to narrow down the 12 winners selected to receive the $500 scholarship for school-related expenses. We received so many inspirational essays and applications boasting acheivements that would be difficult for anyone to compete with. Thank you so much to everyone that applied and please reapply next year if you will still be taking classes! Wishing you all the best!

- The L.I.F.E Scholarship Committee

To view the 2013 Scholarship recipients, please click here.

Reminder - No January Scholarships

Just as a reminder, L.I.F.E. no longer awards scholarships in January. Scholarship applications must be postmarked the 1st of July and scholarships will only be awarded in August of each year. 

Make a difference in someone's L.I.F.E- donate today.

No amount is too small to make a difference. Please click here to learn how to donate for L.I.F.E.

Read the text of the fundraising letter here.

A Caution Regarding Other LIFE Sites

To find out more about our foundation or would like more materials regarding our foundation, please use our address / to ensure you are getting the most updated and correct info.  For any other websites out there with our name “L.I.F.E.” on it, we do not support nor can validate the information on those websites.

LIFE Announces 10th Anniversary Featured Winner: Bianca Augusto

Congratulations to Bianca Augusto!

In order to commemorate ten successful years the Lupus Inspiration Foundation for Excellence (L.I.F.E.) selected the top recipient from fifty past winners.  Bianca Augusto is L.I.F.E.’s featured winner.  She has utilized her scholarship and experience with the Foundation in order to better herself and others.  Bianca Augusto has demonstrated academic merit, volunteer ambitions, and a hard working attitude verifying her potential to be successful in the future—all while facing lupus.

Bianca Augusto is currently a junior at the University of Florida where she boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.9 and a nomination for membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.  She is pursuing a degree in Psychology, volunteering in programs that advance her knowledge in the field.  According to a professor, “Bianca is self-motivated and highly goal-oriented…As a thinker, she does not simply choose to accept, but rather she questions, ponders, and often poses hypotheses.”  Bianca’s hobbies include reading, scuba diving, arts, and crafts.

Being a L.I.F.E scholarship winner has been a life-changing experience for Bianca in more ways than one.  Besides helping with the expense the college demands, she has also gained knowledge that she may not have otherwise sought out.  After her diagnosis, Bianca chose to keep herself in the dark regarding the facts about lupus.  Choosing to live in ignorance allowed her to convince herself that the disease did not exist.  After receiving the scholarship, however, Bianca now realizes that her diagnosis is not something that can be ignored but instead something that she must educate herself about in order to best control the symptoms.   She also realizes the importance of making this chronic disease known to others across the globe, especially since it is so much more widespread than is recognized.

Since the summer of 2008, she has made herself actively involved in the Lupus Inspiration Foundation for Excellence, volunteering in multiple areas including--but not limited to—the new website, fundraising, and grant writing.  Bianca was also a member of the 2010 Scholarship Committee and was active in the selection process.  This was the first time a previous winner was given the opportunity to assist in selecting and notifying the new winners.  Her goal is to continue to play an active role in the Foundation for as long as possible so that she may continue to help others with lupus.