Public Invited to Vote on Two AbbVie CF Student Scholarship Awards

The public is invited to vote and help determine this year’s AbbVie Thriving Undergraduate and Thriving Graduate Scholarships among eligible students with cystic fibrosis (CF). The criteria for selecting the winners are academic excellence, creativity, and community involvement/extracurricular activities.

Each scholarship totals $25,000 and will be awarded to two deserving students.

Earlier this year, 40 undergraduate and graduate CF students received an AbbVie CF Scholarship of $3,000 each based on the same criteria, to be used during the 2018-2019 academic year.

These students now have the opportunity to be awarded an additional $22,000 in funding along with the title of 2018 Thriving Undergraduate or Graduate Student. The awards will be announced in October.

From Sept. 5-19 (11 a.m. Eastern time), people are encouraged to learn more about this year’s AbbVie CF Scholars by reviewing their profiles online and voting to help determine the two 2018 winners.

Student profiles can be viewed on AbbVie’s CF Scholarship website: www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com. During the two-week voting period, people can vote via text message by texting the student’s personalized ID code to “31901,” or vote online.

“I have always dreamt of becoming a child psychologist, and thanks to the AbbVie CF Thriving Graduate Scholarship, I have been able to focus more on my studies and less on the stresses that come with paying for my education,” Taylor MacLean, 2017 AbbVie CF Scholar and Thriving Graduate Student, said in a press release.

“I want to let other students living with CF know that despite the challenges, achieving your goals is possible, and I’m grateful that the AbbVie CF Scholarship, along with my family and care team, has allowed me to do so. Being acknowledged for my work and determination has helped me realize my full potential,” MacLean added.

The selection of the two Thriving Undergraduate and Graduate Students will be based on a review of their academic achievements, community involvement/extracurricular activities, creative presentation scores, an essay, and the number of public votes they receive.

During the voting period, the public can support the AbbVie CF Scholars by tweeting the link: “Students living with #cysticfibrosis need your help! Cast your vote to help award two $25K scholarships and determine the 2018 AbbVie CF Scholarship Thriving Undergraduate and Graduate Students https://bit.ly/TnPPq1”

“Students living with CF inspire us every day. They are true fighters who don’t let their diagnosis hold them back from making a difference — whether it’s in the classroom or in their community,” said John Duffey, vice president, U.S. Specialty, AbbVie.

“AbbVie has been proud to show our commitment to students with CF and their families by carrying on the AbbVie CF Scholarship tradition for more than 25 years,” he said.

AbbVie is a global biopharma that conducts research and development in four main therapeutic areas: oncology, immunology, virology, and neuroscience.

Its scholarship program has awarded more than $3.2 million in scholarships to over 1,000 students since it was established 26 years ago. In the U.S., estimates indicate that there are more than 30,000 people with cystic fibrosis, and more than half are 18 or older.

Of note, scholarship applicants do not need to take, have taken, or intend to take in the future any product marketed by AbbVie.