Dr. Ronald E. Milliman Scholarship

The South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB) offers the Dr. Ronald E. Milliman scholarship for visually impaired students in the 10-county area of the Barren River Development District.

The following counties comprise the Barren River Area Development District:

  • Allen
  • Barren
  • Butler
  • Edmonson
  • Hart
  • Logan
  • Metcalfe
  • Monroe
  • Simpson
  • Warren

This scholarship will be awarded on a competitive basis in accordance with the SCKCB Scholarship Program Guidelines listed below.

In 2015-2016, approximately 19% of students who were seeking a post secondary degree had a disability. According to the CDC, over 1 million people were identified as blind in 2015, and millions more also qualified as having a visual impairment. Many students with visual impairments go to college every year. While these students may face unique challenges, they are entitled to the same quality of education as all students.

Founder and former President of SCKCB, Dr. Ronald E. Milliman wanted to ensure that qualified applicants can continue to apply for our scholarship. The Milliman Family has made a gracious donation on his behalf so that SCKCB can fund scholarships to visually impaired students wanting to further their education.

SCKCB Scholarship Program Guidelines

The amount of this scholarship will be based on need and review of required documents. The scholarship will be granted on a competitive basis to blind and low-vision students residing in the 10-county area that makes up the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) as listed above.

All applicants must be blind or considered low-vision, meaning legally blind defined by the U.S. Federal Government as “best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye; or a visual field limitation such that the widest diameter of the visual field, in the better eye, subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees, as measured with a Goldmann III4e or equivalent size stimulus.” Documentation of such legal blindness from a qualified physician must be included with the applicant’s scholarship documentation .

  1. All applicants must be legal residents and citizens of the United States and reside in one of the 10 counties comprising the BRADD area, also their home address must be in the 10-county BRADD district.
  2. All applicants must be either in their senior year of high school and applied to and accepted into a post-secondary educational program, such as a college, university, or technical / trade school, or currently applied to and accepted or enrolled into such a program.
  3. Scholarships will be considered on a competitive basis as follows:
    • Overall academic record, GPA (minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale), types and level of courses completed, etc.
    • Extracurricular activities, clubs, philanthropic endeavors, sports, etc.
    • Any honors, awards, achievements, or recognition earned
    • Supporting documentation can be from teachers, professors, administrators, OVR case managers or other organizational leaders
    • A Written essay from the applicant stating the degree you are seeking and how you would use the scholarship
  4. All documents must be fully completed and received, including all supporting documentation, on or before May 31st prior to the starting semester for which the scholarship will be funded; for example, applications must be received on or before May31st, 2024 for the academic year of 2024-2025. This requirement will be waved for those already enrolled in a post-secondary educational program, such as a college, university, or technical/trade school.
  5. Scholarship applications will be considered regardless of family income or other disabilities, if any, in addition to the applicant’s visual limitations.
  6. Scholarship money must be used for school-related expenses, such as books, tuition, and/or dorm room fees. Scholarship money may also be used to purchase needed assistive devices and/or technology to be used for school, such as screen reading programs, CCTV or digital magnifying devices, talking or large display calculators, etc.

To apply for a SCKCB Scholarship, email President@sckcb.org