Bridging the Gap Between Cancer and College one Scholarship at a Time
RENO, Nev.— Founded in Reno, Nev., My Hometown Heroes awards scholarships to young adult survivors from across the country. Each year, a selection committee pours over the applications to determine which candidates will receive scholarships in the amounts between $1,000 and $10,000.
According to Danny Heinsohn, founder and executive director of My Hometown Heroes, it’s time well spent.
“This process is where you feel the pulse of the My Hometown Heroes mission and see how we are impacting lives with every scholarship we award,” said Heinsohn. “I read every single application and I always come away deeply moved and inspired by these stories of survivorship, perseverance and compassion.”
Every year there are over 77,000 young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 years old who are diagnosed with cancer. This population is one of the most overlooked and underserved populations in our country. According to survey feedback from scholarship candidates the average reported student debt is nearly $50,000 upon college graduation.
Since 2011 the organization has awarded nearly 200 scholarships to young adult cancer survivors from across the country. For many past recipients, the support is more than just financial.
“My Hometown Heroes has given me the opportunity to make my dream of becoming a pediatric oncology nurse a reality,” said Haley Carroll, a My Hometown Heroes scholarship recipient who was recently accepted into the Orvis School of Nursing and is now an oncology nurse for Renown.
Scholarship reviewers will be given a set of scholarship applications to review, along with clear instructions on how to score each one. Each candidate can get a maximum of 100 points with 20 points possible for each of five categories: Leadership (ability to create change), Survivorship (degree of hardship and how they overcame), Stewardship (propensity to give back), Strong Vision (confidence on life/career direction), and Financial Need (impact of a My Hometown Heroes scholarship).
If you are interested in volunteering to be a part of the My Hometown Heroes scholarship selection committee, please email info@myhometownheroes.org by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15. Candidate applications will be distributed to the selection committee by Monday, February 21, 2022.
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About My Hometown Heroes
Battle Born in the State of Nevada, My Hometown Heroes (MHH) is a national scholarship fund for young adult cancer survivors. University of Nevada grad, Danny Heinsohn, started the foundation in 2010 to celebrate his 10th year of brain cancer remission. Since 2011, MHH has awarded scholarships to young adult survivors from across the country between the amounts of $1,000 and $10,000.
