AbbVie Marks 25th Annual CF Scholarship Program with Three $25,000 Grants and New Award Category

AbbVie is awarding three $25,000 scholarships this year to mark the 25th anniversary of its CF Scholarship Program, and is creating a new Blogger’s Choice Award category.

AbbVie selected 40 undergraduate and graduate students living with cystic fibrosis (CF) earlier this year to receive $3,000 scholarships for this school year. Now, three of the scholars will have a chance to increase their award to $25,000 by competing for one of the two Thriving Undergraduate or Graduate Student scholarships, or the new Blogger’s Choice Award.

Winners will be announced in November, 2017.

AbbVie created the CF Scholarship in recognition of the financial burden the disease places on families. Applicants do not need to be taking any AbbVie medication — and this will not be a factor in choosing winners.

“Twenty-five years ago, students with CF faced immeasurable challenges fulfilling their goals of achieving higher education,” Jim Hynd, vice president of U.S. Specialty Products at AbbVie, said in a press release. “In honor of the 25th anniversary of AbbVie’s CF Scholarship Program, AbbVie is proud to reflect on the accomplishments of this community and the advancements in modern medicine that have made it possible for students with CF to achieve their dreams, both in and out of the classroom.”

Winners of the Thriving Undergraduate and Graduate Students scholarships are selected on the basis of academic achievements, essay originality, and a creative presentation applicants make. The public can also vote for students they would like to see win.

The Blogger’s Choice Award recipient will be the student whose presentation receives the highest cumulative score from the CF blogger panel.

“The Thriving Student Scholarship significantly eased the stresses that come with pursuing higher education while living with CF, and helped me chase my dream of becoming a lawyer, so I can some day be an advocate for others,” said Grace Knight, 2016 AbbVie Scholar and Thriving Undergraduate Student. “I am excited for all of this year’s AbbVie CF Scholars, and I wish them all the best as they pursue their dreams and aspirations in the hopes of receiving a Thriving Student Scholarship or the Blogger’s Choice Award.”

You can help determine this year’s Thriving Undergraduate and Thriving Graduate Students by voting online or via text message. You can do so by texting a student’s personalized ID code to “23000” through October 13, 2017. You can also spread the word about your AbbVie CF Scholar by tweeting your support.