Applications Open for $25,000 USHJA Foundation Hamel Scholarship for Further Education 

Available for use at college, graduate, trade or professional school

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lexington, Ky. – Jan. 22, 2018 – The USHJA Foundation is pleased to open applications for the $25,000 USHJA Foundation Hamel Scholarship for Further Education, which may be used for college, graduate, trade or professional school. Applications are due by Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, for the 2015-16 academic year, "the average annual price for undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board was $16,757 at public institutions, $43,065 at private nonprofit institutions, and $23,776 at private for-profit institutions." Each year the cost of higher education increases, and the USHJA Foundation Hamel Scholarship aims to help committed hunter/jumper equestrians pursue their academic goals after high school.

Current USHJA members who have been members for at least three consecutive years are eligible for the scholarship. Applicants must be accepted to a college, graduate, professional, or trade school and be entering the 2018 fall semester as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, trade or graduate student. They should be ranked in the top 20 percent of their class or have a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. For those who are not currently or recently in school, the Foundation will consider an equivalent employment history. Interested applicants may access the application materials atwww.ushjafoundation.org/HamelScholarship.

In 2017, Lizzy Traband, 18, of Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, became the inaugural recipient of the scholarship. She began her sophomore year at Pennsylvania State University this past fall where she rides on the equestrian team and is working toward a business degree in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, with a focus in business systems and development, and a minor in Information Technology. She plans to continue her education by pursuing an MBA in international business.

Candidates may only be awarded the USHJA Foundation Hamel Scholarship for Further Education once. The Foundation will award the scholarship prior to the start of the 2018 fall semester. The scholarship is made possible by a generous donation from the Kristen and James Hamel Family Foundation.

About the USHJA Foundation
The USHJA Foundation is a supporting organization to the USHJA with the vision that the hunter/jumper community embraces, supports, and protects the people and horses who give their hearts to this sport. The Foundation achieves this vision by: supporting the basic needs of the USHJA members who do not have the financial means to do so themselves following an accident, catastrophe or illness; inspiring USHJA members facing adversity through exceptional experiences; empowering USHJA members to further their education; and preserving and protecting the history and tradition of the hunter/jumper sport. For more information, visit  www.ushjafoundation.org.