Please indicate that your donation is for the ILLINOIS fund in the memo section of the donation form.   Donate to the ILOTA Scholarship Fund
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Scholarship Eligibility: ILOTA scholarships will be awarded to OTA/OT students in good standing, attending an accredited occupational therapy educational program located in the state of Illinois and who are members of the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association.  Each year two awards will be given, one each to an entry level OT student and to an OTA student. In the event there is not an eligible applicant for one of the two, both scholarships will be awarded to the other.  The ILOTA is part of the AOTF Endowed Scholarship Program. Please see the AOTF website for more information on how to apply for these scholarships as well as others offered from AOTF.

Please read these testimonials from the past ILOTA AOTF Student Scholarship Recipients:

“I am beyond grateful to have received the ILOTA Endowed Scholarship earlier this year. This scholarship has allowed me to work fewer hours in order to be more involved with my capstone site, Magdalene House Chicago-- an organization that supports women who have survived sex trafficking, addiction, and abuse. Additionally, I have utilized this economic support to purchase books related to trauma-informed care which have provided me with beneficial clinical skills. I look forward to all the amazing opportunities that lay ahead!”      

~Annie Mokate, 2021 Recipient

“Words cannot express how thankful I am to be chosen as an ILOTA AOTF scholarship recipient. My education has always been of upmost importance to me, and to be supported in this way by the ILOTA community is very humbling. As a first-generation college student, I know first-hand that it is organizations like ILOTA that make education attainable for many students. This scholarship relieves the financial burden of my OT education, specifically as it relates to study materials for the NBCOT exam, textbooks, and tuition. I look forward to finishing my degree and serving communities throughout Illinois in my future endeavors as an OTR.”

~Samantha Souza, 2020 Recipient

“I recently received the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association Endowed Scholarship during my last semester of my OTD program at Rush University. The scholarship awarded to me will significantly support my ability to purchase educational materials necessary to best help me prepare for and pass my upcoming NBCOT licensure examination. I am especially grateful for the support purchasing these educational materials and required application fees as I graduate from my OTD program in uncertain times during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

~Megan Hunzeker, 2019 Recipient (awarded in 2020)

 “I am so grateful to have received the ILOTA AOTF scholarship. The scholarship helped fund some of the tuition expenses associated with earning my MS and OTD degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The scholarship supported me on my journey to become an occupational therapist. Thank you for investing in me, ILOTA!”

~Briana Rigau, 2018 Recipient