Scholarships in the Department of Special Education

This scholarship was created by David E. McIntosh Jr. and Constance E. McIntosh in honor of their families. The McIntosh family resides in Henry and Rush counties and the Ross family resides in Montgomery County. Both David and Constance came from working class families who valued education and social service.

Award Amount

Criteria

• Junior or senior special education major
• Students with a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Preference will be given to students from Henry, Rushville, and Montgomery counties

 *Preference will be given to first generation college students

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

Terri Reed graduated from Ball State University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education. In 1989, she earned a master’s degree in Special Education from Ball State. She has spent 30 years in public education as a teacher of special needs students. One half of these years were in elementary schools and the other half in a middle school. She has a passion for being a voice for students who don’t feel they have one. In her retirement, the purpose of the scholarship she set up is to recognize and award a student who is “the next one up”. Someone who will carry on and be an advocate and educator of students with special needs.

Award Amount

Two awards in the amount of $1000 each.

Criteria

• Undergraduate Special Education major with a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
• Completed 40 credit hours in Special Education course work.
• Preference given to a student who has documented experience volunteering/working alongside people with special needs outside the BSU course work experience.

How to Apply

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

The Reach Out to the Handicapped of Indiana organization was established in 1985 to provide experiences that are not normally available to handicapped persons and to give people with handicaps a sense of wellbeing.

Award Amount

Two awards in the amount of $750 each.

Criteria

• Be a resident of Indiana —preference to residents of Hancock County
• Achieved overall 2.5 GPA
• Major in any special education area and demonstrate the potential to be an excellent teacher
• Demonstrate volunteer and/or work experiences with persons with special needs, through work experiences, and volunteering or through SCEC leadership.
• Be a full-time student both fall and spring semesters OR
• Be a part-time student working full time with persons with disabilities

How to Apply

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

The Shannon M. McDowell Memorial Scholarship was established by Steven Renard in memory of his wife, Shannon. Shannon taught special education at Warren Hills Regional High School and established the Warren Hills chapter of Best Buddies. Shannon passed away in 2017 from complications due to cancer. Shannon's love for her students and devotion to their development was an inspiration to her colleagues at Warren Hills, and her work there continues through her friends, peers, and students. Steven graduated from Ball State in 1995 with a degree in mathematics education. He has established this scholarship as a perpetual honor to his best friend and love of his life, Shannon, and to help students pursuing a degree in special education.

Award Amount

Two awards in the amount of $500 each.

Criteria

• Pursuing a teaching degree in special education
• Involved with Best Buddies or other mentoring program for special needs students
• Exhibit outstanding achievement as reflected by GPA

How to Apply

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

The purpose of the Fund is to provide scholarships to Ball State University students for financial support to offset the costs of graduate study for marginalized populations as a means of increasing diverse leadership in Special Education in schools, service agencies, government, and universities.

Award Amount

Criteria

• Graduate student in masters or doctoral program studying special education
• Applicants must represent a historically or currently marginalized population
• Have a GPA of 3.25/4.00 or higher for undergraduates entering a graduate program in the Department of Special Education or 3.25/4.00 or higher for students currently enrolled in graduate studies

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

Phyllis J. Moy-Agness (’68, ’75, ’80) retired after serving as a university teacher educator for thirty years. Prior to that, she had teaching experience in preschool, elementary, and special education classrooms. She had also worked in her private practice as an educational consultant for students with special needs. As a state, national, and international speaker and author, she has focused on training those professionals who provide services for students with special needs and students who are homeless. Dr. Agness’ husband, a Purdue University graduate and retired Army officer/helicopter pilot, shares her passion for education and for training teachers who have a zeal for making a difference. The Moy-Agness Scholarship was established to provide encouragement and financial support for Ball State special education graduate students who desire to change the world one student at a time.

Award Amount

Criteria

• Graduate student studying special education
• Minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Student is nearing completion of their degree program

*This award requires an application essay and a thank you note to the family  

How to Apply

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.

Terrance was loved and given a multitude of nicknames by everyone he met, the most prominent of these was MarJ. He was diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum at three years of age. He was an exceptional child with special needs and he was special to everyone he met. He was known for spreading energy, joy, and music into every environment that he walked. He was unashamedly bold in sharing and expressing his faith through music and stopping to pray for anyone he met. Whether it was school, home, or church he traveled with a set of drumsticks and homemade drums. He believed in music breaks on the regular and loved anyone who would join him in praise. Notably, MarJ benefited from ABA therapy and services which helped to improve his day to day activities with his family and friends. Because of the remarkable impact of ABA therapy and services, his family desires to continue support of services that help other families like his own with the hopes that his transition from life on May 30, 2016 will still have an impact on the lives of other families for years to come.

Award Amount

Criteria

• Graduate student pursuing a degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy
• Preference given to students with a diverse background
• Demonstrates a financial need
• Minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale 

How to Apply

PDF Applications are available in spring semester by request directed to Dr. Penny Craig via email at pcraig@bsu.edu. Please submit completed applications and required materials to 00arplassman@bsu.edu.