The Resilient Pathways Scholarship
Funding & Award Overview
Total scholarship fund: $10,000
This scholarship is made possible through the generous support of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and the New England Sickle Cell Consortium, creating a $10,000 scholarship fund. The NESCC Scholarship Committee will determine both the number of scholarship recipients and the amount awarded to each recipient. Individual scholarship awards will range from $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the committee's final selection and distribution of funds.
Program Overview
The New England Sickle Cell Consortium (NESCC) is proud to offer the Resilient Pathways Scholarship, an educational award created for students across New England whose lives have been shaped by Sickle Cell Disease or Sickle Cell Trait. This scholarship exists to invest in the next generation of scholars, leaders, and change-makers — students who are pursuing their education while carrying the strength, discipline, and perspective that comes with living alongside a lifelong condition.
NESCC believes that health status should never be a barrier to opportunity. Through this scholarship, we aim to reduce financial obstacles to higher education and to affirm every student's right to define their future on their own terms.
Scholarship Purpose
This scholarship is designed to help ease the financial burden of pursuing higher education. Funds may be used toward tuition, books and course materials, academic fees, supplies and equipment, transportation to and from school, and other education-related expenses.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered, applicants must:
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Be a high school senior, high school graduate, current college student (two-year or four-year), vocational/technical school student.
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Be diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease or have Sickle Cell Trait.
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Live in or attend school in one of the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.
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Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent). While academic achievement is an important consideration, we recognize that a GPA does not always reflect a student's full potential, perseverance, or the challenges they may have overcome. Applicants are encouraged to share their unique journey, as all applications will be reviewed holistically by the NESCC Scholarship Committee.
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Be accepted into, enrolled in, or registered for an accredited two-year college, four-year college, university, vocational/technical school, or certificate program.
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Demonstrate a commitment to education, leadership, community service, advocacy, work experience, or personal resilience.
Additional notes: Previous recipients are generally not eligible to reapply unless otherwise determined by NESCC. NESCC officers, board members, scholarship committee members, and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply.
Application Requirements
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Completed scholarship application form
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Confirmation of Sickle Cell Disease or Sickle Cell Trait status (a brief note or letter from a healthcare provider, clinic, or care team). Detailed medical history is not required; a simple confirmation of status is sufficient. All health information is kept strictly confidential and used only for eligibility verification.
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Proof of acceptance, enrollment, or registration at an eligible school or program
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Most recent transcript or GPA documentation
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One letter of recommendation (teacher, counselor, professor, mentor, faith leader, employer, healthcare provider, or community leader)
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A short essay (approximately 500 words — see prompts in Section 6)
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Professional headshot or photo (for potential recognition materials, with consent)
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Optional: Resume or activity list
Essay Prompt Options
Applicants select ONE — approximately 500 words.
Option 1: Resilience in Motion
Living with Sickle Cell Disease or Sickle Cell Trait shapes the way many students move through the world — academically, physically, and emotionally. Describe a moment when you had to push through a challenge related to your health, and share how that experience has influenced the way you approach your education and your future goals.
Option 2: The Story I Want to Tell
Every student carries a story that goes beyond a diagnosis. Describe who you are, what drives you, and what you hope to accomplish through your education. How do you want to be known — not for what you've overcome, but for what you're building?
Option 3: Advocacy and Impact
Whether inside your community, your school, or the broader healthcare system, describe a way you have advocated for yourself or others — related to sickle cell awareness, health equity, or another cause you care about. How has this experience shaped your goals for the future?
Application Timeline
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Application Opens: July 13, 2026
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Application Deadline: September 13, 2026
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Scholarship Recipients Announced: October 3, 2026, during the New England Sickle Cell Symposium at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Program Guidelines
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Awards may be used at accredited colleges, universities, vocational schools, technical schools, or certificate programs located in the United States.
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Funds may be applied toward tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation, housing, or other education-related costs.
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Awards are not automatically renewable; recipients wishing to reapply must submit a new application.
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Students who transfer schools may retain their award, provided they remain enrolled in an eligible program and notify NESCC.
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Recipients will be invited to attend a recognition event hosted by NESCC on October 3rd.
Volunteer / Community Commitment
Recipients commit to completing a minimum of 10 hours of volunteer service, advocacy, mentorship, or community engagement with NESCC or an approved partner organization during the scholarship year. This is an opportunity not a burden to build community, strengthen leadership skills, and stay connected to a network of others who understand the journey.