21st Century Student Scholarship

This scholarship provides up to $1,500 in financial support to full-time undergraduate and graduate-level students to attend SOPHE’s Annual Conference (Summer/ Fall application cycle) or SOPHE’s Advocacy Summit (Winter/Spring application cycle).

Recipients may use the scholarship to cover costs associated with travel, accommodations, event registration, meals and incidentals to the conference or Summit.

Students who receive this scholarship help SOPHE build a strong pipeline of health education leaders with the skills to address today’s health challenges.

Applications are currently open to attend SOPHE’s 2026 Advocacy Summit, October 17-19, 2026 in Washington, DC. Application Deadline: June 30, 2026.

Scholarship Overview

Scholarships can be used to cover event registration fees, travel, hotel/lodging, meals and any real and reasonable expenses incurred. SOPHE also encourages and allows scholarships to be used for supplemental SOPHE chapter membership.

Scholarships will not exceed $1,500 in travel reimbursement. Awardees will receive complimentary registration to the SOPHE 2026 Advocacy Summit. Reimbursement payment is made after the event upon submission of a 1,000-word reflection essay on the benefits of attending the summit, lessons learned, and how the learnings will be shared with fellow students, peers, or others in the field. These testimonials may be used in SOPHE communications to promote the benefits of the scholarship.

Scholars will be be placed on a committee/task force of their choosing to actively volunteer for one year following receipt of the scholarship.

Eligibility

Students are eligible for a scholarship if:

  • They a national or chapter SOPHE member in good standing at the time of application.
  • They are sponsored by a faculty member in the student’s program. The faculty member must be a current member of national SOPHE. The faculty member must complete a Faculty Sponsorship Form to verify that the student:
    • Is currently an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time and in good academic standing in a public health, health education or health education-related major.
    • Has excelled in health education-related courses.
    • Has been involved in health education research and/or practice.
  • They have not received a scholarship in the past two years. Preference is given to students who have never received this award.

    Note: Students who receive a SOPHE 21st Century Student Scholarship are not eligible for the Vivian Drenckhahn Student Scholarship Award during the same calendar year January–December.

Application Requirements

  • Proof of active national or chapter SOPHE membership. SOPHE verifies members are in good standing
  • Unofficial transcript from current academic institution.
  • Completed Faculty Sponsorship Form.
  • One-page personal statement describing:
    • How your interests match the themes and/or subthemes for SOPHE’s Annual Conference or Summit.
    • Your involvement in health education research and/or practice.
    • Your involvement with SOPHE as a national or chapter member.
    • How you will share information gained at this conference or Summit with members of your campus community.
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