Healthcare Scholarship: National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Foundation Scholarships
Overview of the National Community Pharmacists (NCPA) Foundation Scholarships
The National Community Pharmacists (NCPA) Foundation Scholarships are awarded each year by the NCPA to recognize the achievements of exceptional pharmacy students. Each year, the NCPA awards five scholarships: the Presidential Scholarship, the J.C. and Rheba Cobb Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Government Affairs, the Willard B. Simmons Memorial Scholarship for Pharmacy Management, the Partners in Pharmacy Scholarship and the Neil Pruitt Sr. Memorial Scholarship in Entrepreneurism.
While the eligibility criteria vary somewhat among the scholarships, some of the basic requirements are the same. Applicants must be NCPA members in order to be considered. Each applicant may submit an application for only one of the scholarship awards, per academic year. In addition, the applicant must be enrolled full-time in a pharmacy program at an accredited U.S. institution at the time that the scholarship is awarded.
The scholarships also vary slightly in their aims. For example, the Willard B. Simmons Memorial Scholarship is for students with an interest in pharmacy management, while the J.C. and Rheba Cobb Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Government Affairs is for students interested in government activities.
As part of the application process, for any of the scholarships, students must submit a recent official transcript; two letters of recommendation; a personal letter; and a resume or CV. One of the letters of recommendation must come from a pharmacy owner or manager, ideally an NCPA member, and should describe the candidate’s leadership qualities and commitment to the pharmacy profession. The other letter should come from a school official, whether a faculty member or advisor, who can attest to the student’s involvement in relevant school activities.
All applications must be sent by mail and postmarked by March 15th. However, as deadlines may vary slightly from year to year, it’s worth confirming with the NCPA for up-to-date due date information.
The amount of the scholarship varies slightly among the five different prizes and can vary from year to year. The Neil Pruitt Sr. Memorial Scholarship in Entrepreneurism is for $2,500 and payable to the student’s school. All four of the other scholarships consist of a $2,000 check, also payable directly to the school. In order to collect the prize, winners must attend the NCPA Annual Convention, where they will be awarded their honors at the Award Ceremony. A $300 travel stipend is provided to each winner to cover costs associated with the trip to the convention.
