D2 Grant and Scholarship Program

*Applications for this program are accepted every two years

Background:                          
The concept of “Pay it Forward” or “Paying it Forward” is derived from a 1951 Robert A. Heinlen novel. Wikipedia defines this concept as “repaying the good deeds one has received by doing good things for other unrelated people.”

Purpose:                               
To provide membership incentive grants for ethnically diverse young professionals who enter employment and subsequently remain within the NATA District 2 service area. This grant is also designed to identify a pool of ethnically diverse professionals who, in the future, could assume leadership roles and responsibilities within District 2 and the NATA.

Number of Grants:              
Two grants with the grant lasting for 2 concurrent years. Each winner will have their NATA dues paid for by the district. If a recipient moves out of District 2 and/or ceases employment without regaining employment within District 2, the recipient forfeits any successive year’s grant.

Application Deadline:   
All required documents are due by April 1st. 

Requirements:    

1. Be a recent graduate (within a 1.5 calendar years) of an undergraduate or graduate program
2. Be ethnically diverse as identified by the current NATA demographic data/studies
3. Have graduated with a GPA of 3.0 or greater and passed the BOC exam
4. Be a current NATA member within District 2
5. Be willing to seek involvement within the association’s committees at state, district, or national level
6. Be willing to be mentored for leadership roles
7. Submit two letters of support, via e-mail, which address applicants leadership potential.
8. Submit an essay indicating how this grant will benefit you as well as District 2. The essay should be no greater than 500 words.
9. Application must be submitted online by the April 1st deadline
10. Include a certified copy of your final college/university transcript

Submit Application online (D2 members only)

Past Recipients

2020-2021
Aaron Jackson (PA)

2018-2019
Joshua Honrado (NJ)
Jasmin Lalin (PA)

2016-2017
Kim Garcia (NY)
Tiffany Yam (NJ)

2014-2015
Dianneliz Garcia-Gonzalez (DE)
Johnny Rodriguez (NJ)

2012-2013
Nadine Brooks (NY)
LaTonja Lee (NY)

2009-2010
Melanee Johnson (NJ)

The District Two James Thornton Leadership Scholarship was established to recognize a deserving athletic training student with exceptional leadership skills and service to the profession.  This scholarship honors James L. Thornton the 14th NATA District Two Director and the 12th President of the NATA.

The recipient will be awarded a $2500.00 scholarship that will be presented during the District Two Business Meeting at the NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in June.

Criteria

Applicant must:

1. Be a District Two Member in good standing, whose primary NATA address is located within the district. The recipient must also be a NATA member in good standing when accepting the award in June.
2. Have an NPI number
3. Be enrolled in a CAATE approved graduate or undergraduate program or pursuing graduate degree in the profession the following year.
4. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.00 scale
5. Be involved in local, state, district, or national athletic training activities.
6. Provide two letters of Recommendation: A) One from an Athletic Training Preceptor, B) One from an Athletic Trainer addressing the applicant’s outstanding involvement in the profession.
7. Intend to pursue the profession of athletic training as a career.
8. No more than a 500 word Essay on how your leadership roles have prepared you for life after graduation.

Application Requirements

1. Completed Application
2. Resume
3. Two letters of recommendation noted above
4. Complete essay
5. Completed applications must be received electronically by 11:59pm EST March 1st.

Application should be submitted online.

The winner will be contacted after the District Two Executive Council’s March meeting.

Application
Click here to submit application online (D2 members only)

Past Recipients

2024
Adriana Zieba Rosa
Stony Brook University, NY

2023
Sarah Phillip
West Chester University, PA

2022
Justeen Gordon
University of Delaware, DE

2021
Abigail Verbeke
West Chester University, PA

2020
Maddison Miller    
West Chester University, PA

2019
Michael DeGaetano      
West Chester University, PA

2018
Katelyn Dolan
Ithaca College, NY

2017
Jillian Sarm 
West Chester University, PA

The District Two Tanya Dargusch Leadership in Community Service Scholarship was established to recognize a deserving athletic training student with exceptional leadership skills and service to his/her community. Equally important, the student shall provide outstanding involvement in the profession. It honors Tanya Dargusch who has shown exceptional leadership in her community as well as being the first female to serve on the NATA D2 Executive Council as its secretary.

The recipient will be awarded a $2500.00 scholarship that will be presented during the District Two Business Meeting held at NATA Annual Symposia and AT Expo in June.

Criteria

1. Nominee must be a District Two Member whose primary NATA address is located within the district.
2. Nominee must be in good standing when both submitting the application and accepting the scholarship.
3. Nominee must be an athletic training student enrolled in a CAATE approved graduate or undergraduate program the following year.
4. Nominee must hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.00 scale
5. Nominee must list community leadership qualities.
6. Nominee must be involved in local, state, district, or national athletic training activities.
7. Nominee must demonstrate leadership activities and involvement in community service.
8. Supervising athletic training preceptor’s evaluation and letter of recommendation addressing the nominee’s outstanding involvement in the profession.
9. Nominee’s letter of recommendation from a community service leader directly supervising the nominee and addressing his/her leadership qualities and involvement in their community.
10. Nominee’s intention to pursue the profession of athletic training as a career.

Application Requirements

1. Nominee must submit an application; resume’, a completed recommendation form by their athletic training preceptor who must be a member of District Two as well as a letter of recommendation by their supervising community service leader. The supervising community service leader may not be their supervising athletic trainer.
2. Nominee must include an official college/university transcript.
3. The athletic training preceptor may only nominate one student per calendar year.
4.  The completed application and all accompanying materials must be received electronically by 11:59 pm March 1st. 

The winner will be contacted after the District Two Executive Council’s March meeting.

Application
Click here to submit student application (D2 members only) | Recommendation form for Supervising Athletic Training Preceptor (D2 members only)

Past Recipients

2024
Keely Arndt
East Stroudsburg University, PA

2023
Amelia Gilch
West Chester University

2022
Emily Strama 
University of Pittsburgh, PA

2021
Deanna Laubach
West Chester University, PA

2020
Lauren Betts
University of Pittsburgh, PA

2019
Maddison Miller
West Chester University, PA

2018
Kelly St. John
West Chester University, PA

2017
Kaitlyn Gustafson
Daemon College, NY

2016
Nahmir Hack
Temple University, PA

2015
Angelica Nunez 
California University of Pennsylvania, PA

2014
Steven Davi
Kings College, PA

The NATA District 2 Executive Board approved the creation of a grant to support innovation and entrepreneurship efforts among the membership.  As the athletic training profession continues to grow, so does the mindset that ATs can do more than just work in the clinical setting.  Now, more than ever, ATs are becoming entrepreneurs, business owners, inventors and innovators.  The problem is, most ATs have received little or no education in business management, product development, financial modeling, or investment funding.

This grant will provide up to $5,000 in funding each fiscal year, as well as mentorship assistance from the Grant Committee for one year following the award.  Funds may only be used for development of the business or product.  Funds may not be used as compensation.

Criteria
Applicant must:
1. Be a District Two Member in good standing, whose primary NATA address is located within the district. The recipient must also be a NATA member in good standing when accepting the award in June.
2. Have an NPI number
3. Must have a passion to pursue starting a business or creating a product that will better serve the members of the profession and the patients they serve would be eligible to apply.

Application Requirements
1. Applicants must submit an online application and include a detailed prospectus of their project, including description, timeline, and budget.

Timeline
1. August 1: Request for applications
2. October 15th:  Deadline for submitting applications
3. Review of applications
4. Three finalists are selected to present to the committee at EATA.
5. January (EATA):  Finalists present in front of committee at EATA.  The committee chooses a winner, who will be announced at D2 meeting.

Application
Interested District 2 members must apply online. Click here to go the the application link: (D2 members only)

Past Recipients

2021
TBA