2023 CleftProud Scholarship
You can apply here for the CleftProud Scholarship which is awarded to college students affected by cleft lip and palate in the United States each year! Application for 2024 closes 7/1/2024.
Past Scholarship Recipients
Abby Jeffrey
"My name is Abby Jeffrey. I was born with a cleft lip and palate, and I wear it confidently! I am from El Reno, Oklahoma, and graduated with honors from El Reno High School as a member of the class of 2020. Throughout high school, I was actively involved in the National Honor Society, our FFA chapter, BlueSTEMAgriLearning Center, and numerous service projects which allowed me to give back and better my community. I grew up on my family’s farm which is where my love for animals and agriculture first began. In my free time, I enjoy running, reading, and tending to the livestock around my family’s farm. While I love agriculture, my heart is in education, teaching, and learning. In the fall of 2020, I will be attending Oklahoma State University to pursue my Bachelor's degree in elementary education. After graduating, I hope to find a job teaching in Oklahoma while also working to better my state's education system.
The honor of winning the CleftProud Scholarship further reminds me to wear my cleft lip and palate with confidence. This scholarship represents the generous community I found through CleftProud, the organization that has helped me and countless others, and all that I have overcome to truly be proud of my cleft lip and palate. I know that the differences in me because of my cleft lip and palate, including multiple surgeries, have helped me become a strong, determined, and compassionate woman. As I continue my educational career, made possible through the support of CleftProud, I look forward to helping others with similar differences become more confident. My college education, scaffolded by the organization which represents my differences, will enable me to be a mentor and role model for children just like me in my future classrooms. I look forward to educating my students about my cleft lip and palate because I believe knowledge truly is power!"
Julianna Krinsky!
"My name is Julianna Krinsky and I am apart of the class of 2019 at Pueblo County High School in Pueblo, Colorado. I have quite the list of medical history, and my cleft palate is one of them. On top of that, I was born with a genetic disorder called Stickler Syndrome, which affects the collagen in my body. I wear them proudly. Some of my favorite things to do are work out and swim. I have been swimming competitively since I was 7 years old. I am actually a two-time 3a state champion in the 200 Freestyle Relay! I am also ranked in the top 20 of my class with a 4.33 GPA. After high school, I will be furthering my education at CSU Fort Collins to study pathology and biomedical science in hopes to one day help others just like my doctors have done for me."