Marie Heard Education Scholarship Program

The National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias L. Marie Heard Education Scholarship Program annually awards up to $10,000 in scholarships to qualified individuals for post-secondary education. This includes colleges, university, trade school or junior college. Scholarships can only be used for tuition, fees and/or books. Only individuals affected by an ectodermal dysplasia syndrome are eligible.

How to Apply
Applications are made available on February 1st of each year. To receive an application or to be added to a list to receive an application, contact the NFED office. Complete applications are due in April, with a specific deadline announced each year. Scholarship winners are announced in May.

Scholarship Selection Criteria
A committee of volunteers evaluates each scholarship application based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated Academic Ability
• A Written Essay (Topics change each year.)
• Extracurricular Activities
• Community Involvement
• Employment
• Financial Need
• Letters of Recommendation

The NFED Education Scholarship Program was established in 1995 with funds from a bequest from Louise Marie Heard. To date, the NFED has awarded more than $163,250 to numerous individuals for their educational pursuits. In 2005, the NFED Board of Directors adopted a policy that offered donors the option of raising donations to create a scholarship in honor of a family member or friend.

A scholarship award can be named to honor a specific individual for an annual gift of at least $2,000 to the NFED’s scholarship program. A permanent scholarship can be created through a gift of $25,000 or more for that purpose. Scholarships cannot be created to support a specific individual.

In 2005, the NFED created the Ethelyn Draser Boyd Scholarship and the Louis J. and June E. Kay Scholarship. Friends and Family of Dr. Robert Eisenberg raised funds for a 2007 scholarship to be named in his honor.

Please contact the NFED office if you are interested in honoring a friend or family member with a scholarship in their name.