Erma Byrd Scholarship Program

Purpose of Program: The Erma Byrd Scholarship Program provides scholarships to individuals pursuing a course of study that will lead to a career in industrial health and safety occupations, including mine safety. This program is designed to increase the skilled workforce in these fields at both the fundamental skills level and the advanced skills level. The program has a service obligation component, which requires recipients of the scholarship to begin employment in a career position related to industrial health and safety no later than six months after completion of the degree program, and to continue to work in a career position related to industrial health and safety, including mine safety, for a period of one year. The scholarships are available to students in the following eligible areas of study related to industrial health and safety: Mining and mineral engineering, industrial engineering, occupational safety and health technology /technician, quality control techn! ology/technician, industrial safety technology/technician, hazardous materials information systems technology/technician, mining technology/
technician, and occupational health and industrial hygiene.

Applications Available: February 24, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 26, 2010. Eligible Applicants: Individuals who, at the time of application, are:
(1) Enrolled or planning to enroll in an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education;
(2) within two years of completing a degree in an eligible field of study under the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program;
(3) a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; and
(4) eligible to receive Federal grants, loans, or work assistance pursuant to section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

Estimated Available Funds for New Awards: $833,750. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,500 (associate's degree student); $5,000 (bachelor's degree student); $10,000 (graduate degree student).
Estimated Number of Awards: 120. The number of scholarships awarded will be allocated between undergraduate students and graduate students in the same proportion as the number of fundable applications received from those groups of students, taking into account the size
of the awards to be made to students in those groups.

Additional information is available online at:
http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2010-1/022410b.html