ATLANTA, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, Inc. announced today the national roll out of the 2007 Crohn’s Scholarship Program, which will award 30, one-time scholarships of up to $10,000 to people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease who demonstrate academic ambition and who are reaching beyond the boundaries of their condition. The program is an expansion of UCB’s pilot scholarship program in 2006 that was rolled out on a smaller scale by gastroenterologists at nine leading medical institutions across the country. In 2006, $10,000 scholarships were awarded to 12 Crohn’s patients.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic and debilitating inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, affecting more than 500,000 people in the United States. As Crohn’s disease is a chronic ailment, people go through unpredictable periods in which the disease flares up and causes symptoms. These episodes are followed by times of remission -- periods in which symptoms disappear or decrease and good health returns.
“UCB has an ongoing commitment to providing patients with unique programs and tools that help them reach beyond the boundaries of their disease,” said David Robinson, Vice President, Immunology Business Unit, UCB. “The 2006 recipients demonstrated an astounding commitment to both their academics and to improving the lives of others with Crohn’s disease. In expanding the scholarship program, we plan to continue assisting students of all ages enabling them to achieve their dreams of pursuing a college education.”
The 2006 winners were chosen by a selection committee of nine leading gastroenterologists specializing in treating Crohn’s disease. Winners were evaluated based on their essays, which highlight how they overcome the boundaries of Crohn’s disease; letters of recommendations; and their level of academic ambition.
A 2006 winner, Gideon Sofer, demonstrated his ability to reach beyond boundaries by working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help raise awareness of Crohn’s disease and its effect on daily life. After seeing how stamps had generated much needed attention for diseases such as AIDS and breast cancer, he worked with the foundation to call on the United States Postal Service to commission a stamp for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Sofer met with the U.S. Postmaster General, John Potter, and his stamp currently is under committee review.
“I was diagnosed with Crohn’s when I was 12, weighing less than 45 pounds. Not only did I hurt physically from this disease, but I was emotionally torn because people do not like to talk about it,” said Sofer. “The UCB Crohn’s Scholarship Program gives students like me an opportunity to share our story and make a difference in life through our studies.”
2006 Scholarship Recipients -- Taylor Barbrow, a Long Grove, IL native attending Dominican University -- Erin Coles, a Sandusky, OH native attending Bowling Green State University -- Bruno Frustace, a New Windsor, NY native attending Swathmore College -- Brittney Hill, a Norwalk, OH native attending Ohio University -- Annabel Jarman, an Acworth, GA native attending Brigham Young University-Idaho -- Marisa Morale, a Brooklyn, NY native attending St. Francis College -- Simone Ovsey, a Northridge, CA native attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- Dylana Rowe, a Carrollton, CA native attending West Central Technical College -- Gideon Sofer, a Highland Park, NJ native attending the University of California, Berkeley -- John Tiley, a Hammond, LA native attending Southeastern Louisiana University -- Kendall Urban, an Austin, TX native attending Southern Methodist University -- Michael Zargham, a Troy, NY native attending Dartmouth College Apply Now for the 2007 Program
Applications for the 2007 program are available now by visiting, www.crohnsandme.com, calling 1-800-234-8770 or emailing ucbcrohnsscholarship@srcomgroup.com. This program is designed for applicants of any age -- from graduating high school seniors to adults wanting to return to school to complete a masters degree. Qualifying for the 2007 scholarship program is easy. Applicants must be:
-- A legal and permanent resident of the United States -- Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease by a physician -- Seeking an associate’s, undergraduate, or graduate degree or enrolled in a trade school educational program -- A student who demonstrates academic ambition and embraces a way of life that overcomes the boundaries of living with Crohn’s disease -- Enrolled in or awaiting acceptance from a United States-based institution of higher education for the fall semester of 2007 2007 Application Deadline and Determination of Scholarship Amount
Applications for the 2007 Crohn’s Scholarship Program must be postmarked by May 18, 2007 and the winners will be notified via phone by UCB from July 9 through July 15, 2007. Recipients of scholarships will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of the following medical professionals:
-- Marla Dubinsky, M.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center -- George Ferry, M.D., Texas Children’s Hospital -- Bret Lashner, M.D., Cleveland Clinic -- Uma Mahadevan, M.D., University of California, San Francisco Center for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease -- Scott Plevy, M.D., University of North Carolina -- David Rubin, M.D., University of Chicago -- Corey Siegel, M.D., Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center -- Thomas Ullman, M.D., Mt. Sinai, New York -- Doug Wolf, M.D., Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates
Employees of UCB and their immediate family members are not eligible for this scholarship. Selection of recipients will be at the sole discretion of the panel members chosen by UCB. After a winner’s educational enrollment has been verified for the fall 2007 semester, the scholarship check will be made payable to and directly mailed to the educational institution on July 16, 2007. Scholarship amounts will be up to $10,000 to cover the recipient’s tuition and/or educational materials expenses. However, if a student does not have a minimum of $10,000 in educational expenses owed for his/her schooling, the scholarship amount will only cover the remaining amount. Scholarship money cannot be used towards expenses other than those due to the school for education expenses. If UCB learns that an applicant does not have any remaining costs owed to the academic institution, he/she will no longer be eligible for the scholarship. Winners of the 2006 scholarship program are not eligible for the 2007 scholarship program.
About UCB
UCB (www.ucb-group.com) is a leading global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders, and oncology - UCB focuses on securing a leading position in severe disease categories. Employing over 8,500 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenues of euro 2.1 billion (including net turnover, royalties, and fees) in 2004. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange with a market capitalization of approximately euro 5.8 billion. Worldwide headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium, and U.S. headquarters are located in Atlanta, Ga.
UCB, Inc.
CONTACT: Lisa Garman of UCB, Inc., +1-770-970-8569,lisa.garman@ucb-group.com; or Liesel Enke of Fleishman, +1-212-453-2427,liesel.enke@fleishman.com, for UCB, Inc.