The Rob Portinga Memorial Scholarship Fund
The OAC wants to make the Your Weight Matters Convention a reality for any individual with a desire to learn more about their weight and health. The OAC is proud to offer The Rob Portinga Memorial Scholarship Fund, an initiative designed to help individuals by awarding grants to fund or offset the associated expenses in attending the in-person Convention.
The OAC believes in the high-quality education presented at the conference and the powerful impact that connecting in a community like ours can have on an individual’s life. While attending the OAC’s Convention is a great investment in your health, we understand it is often a hardship for many who attend/wish to attend. The Rob Portinga Memorial Scholarship Fund is designed to open the doors up to give any individual the ability to gain the knowledge they need, without letting the expense get in the way.
How the Scholarship Program Works
Through the Rob Portinga Memorial Scholarship Fund, the OAC will award a limited number of grants for YWM2023-Engage (OAC’s in-person Convention) to individuals who have submitted an application.
Convention scholarships are awarded as stipends, and specific areas for reimbursement may be indicated on the application. Scholarships provide grants for airline/mileage, housing and registration. Scholarship Awards do not have a cash value, and grant monies will not be awarded directly to the recipients. Grants will reimburse airline/mileage expenses and/or event registration fees (travel receipts will be required, and capped amounts apply). Rooms in the Convention Room Block at the hotel have already been reserved for scholarship recipients. Complete information may be found below, and any questions about the program may be directed to the OAC by calling (800) 717-3117 or emailing us here.
Application Process
The application process will open on 6/5/2023, with submissions closing on 6/21/2023. All submitted applications will then be sent to our third party review team (George Washington University) for final scoring. Applications received after this date will not be considered. The Scholarship Application is only available for online submission. If you need accommodation for submitting your application, please reach out to the OAC at (800) 717-3117 before the deadline.
Evaluation Process
In order to ensure the most objective decision-making process, the OAC has selected an outside third-party to handle the review/evaluation of all Convention Scholarship applications. The OAC’s National Board, staff, and committee members do not have any involvement in the evaluation/decision process for awarding scholarships. The Obesity Research Team at the Milken Institute School for Public Health at the George Washington University will serve as the Convention Scholarship Review Committee and will handle reviewing and receiving all applications. Given a third-party’s participation in the process, the OAC maintains its strict privacy policy and your personal information will not be shared with any outside entity other than members of the Obesity Research Team at George Washington University. In addition, your information will not be used for research purposes but will strictly be used in awarding Convention Scholarships.
Once the review process is complete, grant award recipients will be notified by the OAC via email no later than 8/1/2023. Recipients will receive a form acknowledging scholarship details, including the next steps. All individuals who submitted an application for a scholarship will be contacted by the OAC with the status of their application once the review process is complete and recipients have been notified.
Application Process Opens: 6/5/2023
Application Deadline: 6/21/2023
Application Status/Award Notifications Sent: Week of 8/1/2023
Scholarship Application
Any questions about the program may be directed to the OAC by calling (800) 717-3117 or emailing us here.
Donate to the Scholarship Fund
Unlock life-changing opportunities by making a donation to the Rob Portinga Memorial Scholarship Fund today. 100% of your donation goes directly to offsetting expenses for individuals who otherwise would not otherwise be able to access the priceless education and connection opportunities that OAC’s Convention offers.