AATH Scholarship Guidelines

Guidelines:

Unless otherwise designated, Conference Scholarship winners receive complimentary registration to our annual conference and special recognition during the conference. 2009 Winners are responsible for travel to Las Vegas.

Each scholarship has criteria that the respective namesake has requested. All applications must be submitted by October 15, 2008.

ED DUNKELBLAU SCHOLARSHIP - Created to honor the work, dedication, commitment and contribution to AATH and the field of therapeutic humor by our past conference chair, Ed Dunkelblau.

The Ed Dunkelblau Scholarship will be awarded to a practitioner of color, or researcher, interested in the cultural applications of therapeutic humor. To be considered for this scholarship, applicants are required to submit an application demonstrating interest, documenting their work, and expressing awareness of the mission of the organization.

PATTY WOOTEN SCHOLARSHIP - Created to honor the work, dedication, commitment and contribution to AATH and the field of therapeutic humor by our past conference chair, Patty Wooten.

The Patty Wooten Scholarship will be awarded to a nurse who is currently involved in creating humor interventions that are being used in a therapeutic manner for patients, family and/or staff. Applicants must be a nurse-R.N., L.P.N., L.V.N. or C.N.A. To be considered for this scholarship, applicants are required to write an essay describing how you perceive humor to be therapeutic and how your work, program, or intervention efforts have benefited patients, family, or staff.

MARGIE KLEIN “PAPER PLATE" SCHOLARSHIP - This scholarship has been added in loving memory of Margie Klein.

This scholarship is named after Margie Klein, the mother of Allen Klein, 2005/2006 president of AATH. Throughout the 95-plus-years of her life, Allen’s mother continually used her sense of humor and was inspirational in Allen’s teaching others about the power of humor.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit an essay describing how humor helped them in work-related situations. Examples can come from the corporate world, the nonprofit arena, or the self-employed.

Essays, not to exceed 250 words, will be rated by judges in three categories:

Clarity. How well did the candidate explain how humor helped them (or others) in a work-related situation?
Innovation/originality/creativity. To what extent is the candidate's story or situation original or creative?
Impact. What additional considerations are relevant to this candidate's application (personal need, impact on others, useable ideas for work-related situations).

WHY PAPER PLATES?
After her two sons were on their own, Margie got a job at a major household appliance company. As a customer service representative, she got a call from a socialite who complained that she was having an important dinner that night and her dishwasher, with all her dishes in it, was not working. The woman insisted that a repairman be sent immediately. Margie told the irate customer that it was impossible; the repairman would be there in the morning. The woman then shouted, “And what am I supposed to do? I have twelve people coming for dinner tonight and I don’t have a clean plate in the house.”

Margie calmly replied: “Use paper plates.”

That was her first and last day on the job.

THE DAVE FAMILY "HUMOR STUDIES" SCHOLARSHIP - Created by the family of 2007/2008 President Lenny Dave to help cultivate the next generation of AATH members.

Awarded to a college student pursuing Humor/Laughter studies with an interest in entering the field of applied or therapeutic humor. Priority awarded as follows; Graduate Student, Undergraduate Student, Faculty (Humor/Laughter). Also, first priority given to colleges and universities in the United States.

For 2009, this scholarship recipient will receive one complimentary AATH conference registration fee and the difference, in cash, between the fee and $500 to help offset Travel & Lodging expenses.

Applicants are to submit essay answers (up to 250 words each) to three questions:

How do you plan to apply your Humor/Laughter education in the field after college?
Why do you feel you are most deserving of this conference scholarship?
How has humor/laughter helped you in a difficult situation?

Send your scholarship application to staff@aath.org

The LENNY RAVICH “Shalom” SCHOLARSHIP
Created by Lenny Ravich, Director of the Gestalt Institute of Tel Aviv.

This scholarship is awarded to someone whose work in humor and laughter clearly and tangibly demonstrates a commitment to world peace. For 2008, this scholarship recipient will receive complimentary AATH conference registration and the base cruise fee (excluding taxes), plus an additional $100 presented on site (in US funds) to help offset other travel costs. Applications from all countries will be considered equally.