Mercy In Action College of Midwifery

NOTE: This page is about Mercy In Action’s Scholarship for Black/Indigenous students. For a listing of general scholarships, please go to the Student Services page: www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/student-services

Claudia Booker was the Grand Challenge Coordinator for Mercy In Action College of Midwifery’s scholarship program at the time of her death in early 2020. She was also a guest faculty lecturer in the Mercy In Action College of Midwifery, where she taught a popular class on the history of Grand Midwives in the USA. With Vicki Penwell and Jennie Joseph, Claudia helped us launch a Grand Challenge to ask all midwifery schools to grant scholarships to student midwives from communities currently experiencing high infant and maternal mortality rates. Claudia Booker was involved over the years in so many ways with Mercy In Action; as a teacher, as a scholar in our post-graduate Diploma in International Midwifery & Maternal/Child Health program, as a host for numerous continuing education trainings, as a volunteer in the Philippines during a natural disaster response, and as legal counsel when needed. She was a mentor to our students and a good friend. We are proud to name this memorial scholarship in Claudia’s honor, and pray it will help many aspiring midwives to become CPMs.

African American babies have 2-3 times the infant mortality rate of the national average in America, and African American mothers are 3-4 times more likely than white mothers to die of birth complications. The situation is also grim for American Indian/Alaska Native communities. If anyone from these ethnic and racial groups wants to become a midwife to serve their own people group, Mercy In Action will help. Families from these groups need support and resources from providers that understand the dynamics of their lives and how these stresses can contribute to poor outcomes in pregnancy and birth. For that reason, Mercy In Action is offering scholarships to African American and American Indian/Alaska Natives who will become midwives to serve their own communities in America.

Until the shocking disparity in maternity outcomes in America is solved, we will give scholarships to midwife students who qualify for the programs we offer as defined below, within the context of evidence-based solutions (see the chart of neonatal death rates per ethnic/racial populations in America). We hope that others involved in midwifery education will take our ideas, replicate them and scale them up to whatever will help to eliminate the racial disparity in birth outcomes.

Sumayya Sulaiman is our Current Scholarship Coordinator and Mentor 2020-present

College of Midwifery Scholarships

Bachelor of Science Degree

Claudia Booker Memorial Midwife Scholarships will be available each year for qualified students from the people groups who lose the most mothers and babies at birth in America - Black/African American and American Indian/Alaska Natives.

First-year Mercy In Action College of Midwifery students who qualify as potential scholarship applicants must apply for our Scholarship Mentoring Track as soon as they begin the program, in order to have access to regular mentorship meetings with our Scholarship Coordinator and Mentor to stay on track for the scholarship. At Claudia Booker’s request before her death, scholarships are to be granted to students who have shown serious commitment to midwifery by having successfully completed four semesters with a minimum 3.0 GPA, have a signed contract for a clinical apprenticeship with an approved clinical preceptor, and have been attending mentoring meetings with our Scholarship Coordinator and Mentor during the first two years of the program.

When qualified Black or Indigenous students have successfully met the requirements, they will request a scholarship application, usually toward the end of the fourth semester. The scholarship will pay for the final two years of tuition. This scholarship, once granted, will be renewed on a semester-by-semester basis for the remainder of the program, re-evaluated at the end of each semester according to satisfactory academic progress (3.0 GPA or higher), satisfactory clinical progress, and abidance of our Student Code of Conduct. It is our hope and expectation that each student who is awarded the Claudia Booker Memorial Midwife Scholarship will complete our program, graduate, become a CPM, and serve as a community midwife.

Note: Scholarships do not cover the annual student fee, nor the cost of books, travel, pre-requisite courses or outside tests, or preceptor fees in the event a preceptor charges fees.

Applicants for the scholarship must be currently enrolled in Mercy In Action College of Midwifery and have successfully completed the first two years as described above. Applicants must submit a completed scholarship application before the end of their 4th semester, or no later than May 1.

If an applicant finishing the fourth semester has not yet begun and been approved for a clinical apprenticeship, they may continue on the scholarship mentoring track until such time they meet the full scholarship requirements. The Clinical Director approves clinical apprenticeship and documentation of approved clinical apprenticeship must be on file with the college before a student submits the scholarship application.

The scholarship application deadlines each year are May 1 and December 1, respectively.

Click the button below to apply for the Scholarship Mentoring Track.

College Scholarship Mentoring Track Application

Fields with asterisks * are required

Qualify for Scholarship Mentoring Track

African American

Indigenous/American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian

I am currently enrolled in Mercy In Action College of Midwifery

Name

First Name

Last Name

Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Email

Phone

(###)

###

####

Date of birth

Place of birth

Ethnicity

Marital Status

Spouse

The name of your spouse if married

Children

Names and ages of children if you have any

Experience in Midwifery School

Please describe where you are in your midwifery education - state years completed, (or just beginning), and are you in a clinical apprenticeship now?

Affiliations

Tell us about membership or affiliation you may have with any organizations, faith communities, or service agencies

Service to a population

What population do you feel called to serve? Why?

Note:

This Five Year Plan template was created by the late Claudia Booker.

Five-year life plan - part 1

1. What financial support do you have in order to finish the program? Even though the scholarship covers tuition for the 3rd and 4th year, you will have travel expenses, living expenses, books, medical supplies, the cost of clinical attendance, and various other costs to cover. Where will you get the money to complete the program? a. Other scholarships, grants, or loans? Family contributions? b. Part-time job that will allow you to be in a clinical preceptorship? c. Full-time job that will cause you to have to go slower through the program?

Five-year life plan - part 2

2. What family support do you have? Specifically, how will they support you? a. If married, is spouse supportive? b. What is your plan for childcare if you have children? What is your plan if you become pregnant during the course? c. If you are single, will your family support you in this endeavor? Can you live at home?

Five-year life plan - part 3

3. What support system besides family, do you have in place in order to finish the course? a. Academic tutoring, if necessary. b. People to help you learn medical skills outside of the program? c. Support from your faith community, if any? d. Support from other midwives and women of color who can mentor and encourage you? e. Support from personal mentors?

Five-year life plan - part 4

4. Do you have a preceptorship/apprenticeship pre-arranged? a. If so, please provide the name of your preceptor, credentials, location, type of practice, contact information, and any details you can provide us about your arrangement. b. If not, give your plan in detail for finding a preceptor and accomplishing the clinical requirements.

Five-year life plan - part 5

5. What does your Five-Year Life Timeline look like? a. What is your projected date of graduation, with a timeline for completing all the coursework required? Including any personal breaks? b. Projected date of Graduation c. Projected plan for the steps you will take to begin your midwifery practice and begin to give back to your community?

Personal bio

Anything else you want to share with us about why you feel you would be a good candidate for this scholarship

Agreement of terms

I understand that this application is only for current students of Mercy In Action College of Midwifery and that this is an application for the Scholarship Mentoring Track only. I understand that in order to qualify for Mercy In Action's Claudia Booker Memorial Midwife Scholarship in the future, I must successfully complete the first two years in the program with a 3.0 GPA, be in a clinical apprenticeship, and attend monthly online mentoring meetings. When qualified, and after filling out the official scholarship application, I will be granted tuition for the final two years of Mercy In Action College of Midwifery.

I agree

NARM Study Course Scholarship

NARM Study Course: Unlimited Tuition Scholarships for our Online NARM Study Course will be granted to qualified applicants from the people groups who lose the most mothers and babies at birth in America - Black/African American and American Indian/Alaska Natives. To apply, applicant must show proof of completion or near completion of meeting NARM requirements, with the intent to sit the NARM exam within the 90 days following submission of the application. For more information on the Online NARM Exam Prep Course click here.

Applicants must submit ONE of the following for verification of eligibility at the time of application:

NARM Approval Letter (your approval to take the NARM exam) sent via email to trainings@mercyinaction.com, OR:
Proof of Graduation: A school director may verify you have graduated or are on track to graduate within the next 3 months by completing the Verification of Eligibility for Online NARM Exam Prep Scholarship form, OR:
Proof of Completion of Clinicals: Your preceptor may verify you have completed your clinicals or are on track to graduate within the next 3 months by completing the Verification of Eligibility for Online NARM Exam Prep Scholarship form (if doing PEP).

* If you are submitting a letter from your school or your preceptor, please have the person fill out the “Verification of Eligibility for Online NARM Exam Prep Scholarship” form on this webpage. If you are submitting other proof of eligibility, proof will need to be sent to trainings@mercyinaction.com.

For more information click here.

Application for Online NARM Study Course

Qualify for Scholarship *

African American/Black

American Indian/Alaska Native

Graduate of Midwifery Program

MEAC School

PEP Process

Other

Name

First Name

Last Name

Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Email

Ethnicity (see qualifications)

Name of Midwifery School that you graduated from

Tell us about yourself... *

Why do you feel you are a good candidate for this scholarship? *

What date do you anticipate sitting for the NARM exam?

Eligibility Verification *

For those applying for a Claudia Booker Memorial Scholarship to the Online NARM Study Course: You must submit proof of your eligibility for the scholarship by submitting one of the following listed below to confirm that you meet the requirements. Proof must be sent by email attachment to: trainings@mercyinaction.com - Your NARM approval letter (approval to take the NARM exam), OR: - Verification that your application has been submitted to NARM (screenshot showing complete application in the Certemy portal), OR: - Verification of graduation from school program, or a letter from the director stating you are on track to graduate within the next 3 months, OR: - A letter from your preceptor stating you are on track to graduate within the next 3 months (if doing PEP).

Yes

No

If awarded the scholarship, what will you do to reduce disparity in birth outcomes in America?

Terms of Agreement

I understand and agree that if my application is chosen for a scholarship, my name and photo will appear on Mercy In Action social media and other publications or presentations on the Grand Challenge and/or the Claudia Booker Memorial Midwife Scholarship Fund. I hereby agree to these terms of the scholarship, if it is awarded to me, by typing my full name/digital signature below.

Attachment

Please send a current photo, and a scan or photo of your NARM permission letter to sit the NARM Exam, by email to: trainings@mercyinaction.com

Verification of Eligibility for Online NARM Exam Prep Scholarship

Name

First Name

Last Name

Check the role that applies to you

CPM, NARM Approved Clinical Preceptor

School Director

Email

Phone

(###)

###

####

Name of scholarship applicant you are filling out the form on behalf of:

Please tell us where in the process the student is in fulfilling all academic and clinical requirements (as applicable) to sit for the NARM Exam, or whether they have graduated (include date of graduation):

Please verify whether the student is on track to fulfill all requirements (clinical and academic, as applicable) within the next three months:

Yes

No

Please include any other applicable information below:

OTHER AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS:

For every live, hands-on seminar Mercy in Action College of Midwifery teaches in the USA, we give one scholarship to attend, free of charge, to one qualified applicant from the people groups who lose the most mothers and babies at birth in America - Black/African American and American Indian/Alaska Natives. To apply, send a resume and cover letter telling us what live hands-on seminar you plan to attend (city and date) and why you are a good candidate for the scholarship. Email to: trainings@mercyinaction.com

The Grand Challenge

The Staff of Mercy In Action College of Midwifery is so happy to offer these scholarships and we wish all recipients the very best in their calling as a midwife!

Donate toward the Claudia Booker Memorial Midwife Scholarship Fund:

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/claudia-booker-memorial-grandchallenge-scholarship/

For more information on The Grand Challenge and to learn about scholarships given by other schools and organizations, click the link below:

https://www.mercyinaction.com/grand-challenge

ALSO: See our page on Student Services where we list outside scholarships

https://www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/student-services

Claudia Booker (late) with scholarship recipients Rachel Williams and Sumayya Sulaiman, and the co-authors of the Grand Challenge, Jennie Joseph and Vicki Penwell. Sumayya is the current Scholarship Coordinator for Mercy In Action.

Learn more about why we have a Grand Challenge Scholarship from Mercy In Action board member, college faculty, past coordinator, and past recipient of the scholarship, Rachel Williams Myers.