VOTA Scholarship Program
Each year during our fall conference, VOTA awards deserving OT and OTA students with funds to support their educational endeavors. Students must be VOTA student members in Virginia-based OT programs in their first year of OT school to apply for funds for their second year.

Awards Available
Award amounts are commensurate with our fundraising goals. 

The OT Graduate Award is awarded annually to an entry level graduate occupational therapy student, enrolled at a program within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This scholarship is based on scholarly, leadership, and humanitarian qualities that OT students bring to their future profession. Requirements include: student application, a student essay, faculty endorsement, and at least one faculty letter of support/recommendation.

The Centennial Award is awarded to an entry level graduate occupational therapy student/occupational therapy assistant student, enrolled at a program within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This scholarship is awarded based on the student’s scholarship, leadership and qualities consistent with the promotion of the profession for the next century of practice.  Requirements include: student application, a student essay, faculty endorsement, and at least one faculty letter of support/recommendation.

The OT Assistant Student Award is given annually to a student enrolled in any Occupational Therapy Assistant Program within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This scholarship is based on scholarly, leadership, and humanitarian qualities that OT students bring to their future profession. Requirements include a student essay, faculty endorsement, and at least one faculty letter of support/recommendation.

Barbara Howard Memorial Scholarship: Barbara Howard’s commitment to excellence was exemplified in both her professional and private lives. She maintained a quality of life that was an example for all who had the good fortune to know her. Barbara believed that physical and emotional challenges were opportunities to strive for quality of life. She derived her greatest satisfaction when her technical expertise and human relations skills combined to enhance the quality of life for those with whom she interacted. Those who knew her admired her compassion and organizational ability. Whether she was communicating with her client, a professional cohort, family, or close friend Barbara exhibited a warmth and genuine concern for the well-being of others. She shared her time and her knowledge freely. Her active participation in local, state, and national OT associations was indicative of the commitment she had to her profession. Barbara never rested on her success. She actively sought more knowledge to enhance her ability as an Occupational Therapist. She continually achieved her goals and set new ones in order to provide her clients with the quality services she believed they deserved. Barbara Howard chose to live and to work by a value system which put the emphasis on “Living with Dignity” and she made the best of any situation. She was committed to attracting the best and brightest OTs to the Tidewater area. She established a fund to provide $400 scholarships to students with an added a $100 bonus to those scholarship recipients who chose to work in the Tidewater area upon graduation.