Jimmy A. Young Memorial Award

Scholarship Sponsored by American Respiratory Care Foundation

Introduction
The American Respiratory Care Foundation offers a memorial award of up to $1,000 in honor of Jimmy A. Young, a former AARC president who made significant contributions to respiratory care education. The Foundation prefers that nominations come from an authorized representative of the school or an accredited respiratory care training program; however, individual students may submit a request for sponsorship so that qualified candidates are not excluded if their school does not nominate them. Candidates from minority backgrounds will receive special consideration.

Award package
The award includes:
- A certificate of recognition
- Coach airfare
- One night’s lodging
- Registration for AARC Congress

Eligibility and nomination preferences
- Applicant must be enrolled in an accredited respiratory care training program.
- Nominations are ideally submitted by a school representative or an accredited program, but students may initiate the application process themselves.
- Preference is given to nominees of minority origin.

Required application materials
All of the following must be submitted for an application to be considered:

1. A completed application form.
2. Proof of current enrollment in an accredited respiratory care program.
3. An official transcript demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
4. An original, referenced paper addressing some aspect of respiratory care. The paper must have a cover page displaying only the paper’s title; the remainder of the document must be free of any identifying information (name, address, school, etc.) to ensure unbiased review.
5. Two letters of recommendation:
- One from the program director or another senior faculty member.
- One from the medical director or another physician instructor.
Each letter must confirm: a) approval of the candidate’s paper, b) the candidate’s suitability for the award, and c) the candidate’s promise for a career in respiratory care.

Application deadlines and submission window
- Applications are accepted beginning Jan. 1 and must be received by June 1. The final deadline is June 1.
- Applications that are incomplete or missing required supporting documents will not be reviewed.

Additional application instructions (online submissions)
- Undergraduate applicants must attach their original referenced paper to the online application. The paper should include a cover page that lists only the title and the body must be anonymized (no name, address, school, etc.). Follow the Foundation’s Paper Submission Guidelines.
- Applicants seeking the William W. Burgin/Robert Lawrence award must also submit a personal essay of at least 1,200 words explaining how the award would support completion of their degree and their long-term leadership goals in health care. The essay should include a cover page with the author’s name, address, and phone number; the main body of the essay must be free of identifying information. Consult the Points to Consider in Submitting an Essay for further guidance.

Reapplication policy
- Previous undergraduate award recipients are eligible to apply again.
- Previous postgraduate recipients may be eligible to receive the award in a second and third year, provided they remain in good standing in an advanced degree program and are judged the most deserving candidate by the Board of Trustees or its designated selection committee.

Questions or need clarification
Refer to the Foundation’s submission guidelines for full details on formatting and required documents, or contact the Foundation office for specific questions about eligibility and the application process.