Brian & Cathy Smith Memorial Fund Scholarship

Award Amount
Application deadline
Awarded By:

American Music Therapy Association

Number of Awards & Eligibility: One award offered annually.
In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
  1. This award is for U.S. students.
  2. Must be a U.S. citizen.
  3. Must be currently performing an internship.
  4. Must be enrolled in a college or university program in music therapy, and be pursuing training in chemical dependency or in adolescent programs.
  5. Must be a current student member of the American Music Therapy Association both in the year in which he/she applies and in the year in which the award is granted.
  6. Must attend an American Music Therapy Association-approved institution. A list of eligible institutions is available on the AMTA website by visiting the "Education & Careers" tab.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Description: This scholarship is open to music therapy interns pursuing training in chemical dependency or in adolescent programs. Students must be members of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) in both the year in which application is made and the year in which the award is granted, and must attend an AMTA-approved institution.

Application requirements for the Brian & Cathy Smith Memorial Fund Scholarship are:

  • Nomination
  • Application form
  • Official Transcript
  • Recommendation letters (3)
  • Essays (2)
  • Activities list
  • AMTA participation
Additional Information: The Brian and Cathy Smith Memorial Fund was established by AMTA member Alice Avigal and the Smith family in memory of Brian Smith, a young man who valued music in his life and died in a drug-related accident. The scholarship is for music therapy interns pursuing training in chemical dependency or in adolescent programs. In 2006, the fund was renamed to include Brian's mother, Cathy, who passed away in 2005. Scoring of applicants is as follows: personal, community, and college activities, 10 points; transcript, 15 points; letters of recommendation, 15 points; participation in AMTA, conferences, AMTAS, committees, presentations, publications, 20 points; and application essays, 20 points per essay.

Award Amount: $500 annually, non-renewable. The award is given as cash.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $500.

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Friday, February 7

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Friday, February 7

Nomination and application forms are available online on the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) website. All forms must be saved as Microsoft Word documents, and the file name must be the student's first and last names and the name of the scholarship to which he/she is applying. Students must be nominated before applying for this award. Only AMTA-approved program faculty may nominate students for awards. A nomination form must be completed and submitted via email to the address listed by the nomination deadline date of 6:00 p.m. EST on Feb. 7, 2020. Those nominated will be notified electronically of any nominations no later than one week after nomination deadline. Nominees must then complete the application process. Each nominee must submit the following items for a complete application package: a signed and dated application form; a list of personal, community, and college activities; an unofficial copy of his/her college transcript; three letters of recommendation, one each from a music therapy professor, a professor familiar with his/her clinical skills, and a person of his/her choice (must be submitted by authors); documentation of participation in AMTA, conferences, AMTAS, committees, presentations, publications; a short essay of 800 words on his/her long-term professional goals; and a brief essay of 400 words explaining why he/she is pursuing training in chemical dependency or adolescent programs. Application packages must be emailed to the address provided by 6:00 p.m. EST on March 6, 2020.
About American Music Therapy Association:
Contact Information: Rebecca Preddie, Scholarship and Grants Coordinator
Address: 8455 Colesville Road Suite 1000 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

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