Ann W. Dooley Memorial Scholarship

Supporting students with physical disabilities who are pursuing higher education.

Scholarship Background and Intent

Ann Dooley was born in Rockford in 1954 and grew up in suburban Chicago. She graduated from Rockford College in 1975 as an education major and later earned a Master's degree from Northern Illinois University.

Ann began her 35-year career as a paraprofessional with Rockford District 205 in 1975.

She became a certified special education teacher at Auburn High School in 1976, eventually becoming the Department Chairperson. In the mid-1990s, she added in-building diagnostician duties to her teaching responsibilities, joining the team assessing applicants to the Special Education program. She ended her career by becoming a full-time diagnostician assigned to several schools in the District in the mid-2000s. Ann retired in 2010.

Ann's outside interests included world travel, long-time volunteering at St. Anthony's Hospital outpatient surgery center, and the retired teachers' association. She was an animal lover, supporting several shelters and adoption agencies.

She had a servant's heart. She was humble and dedicated to her family, friends, and her profession. She faced personal and professional challenges with tenacity and perseverance.

Ann passed away in May 2021 due to complications from surgery.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must:

• Currently reside in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, or Winnebago County.
• Have a physical disability as defined below.
• Provide verification that they receive services for their physical disability, such as a reference from their primary care physician or school case manager.

Specifications

This scholarship is renewable for up to three years as long as criteria are met.

For the purposes of this scholarship, the applicant must be eligible for special education services for a physical disability as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act and verified by the public school system in one of the following eligibility areas: deaf-blindness, hearing impairment, orthopedic impairment, or visual impairment.

Written Prompt

Each CFNIL scholarship is created with a specific purpose in mind. As you complete the application, the system automatically matches you with every scholarship for which you are eligible and will present you with a specific written prompt for each. You're encouraged to craft a unique response to each prompt to show the reviewers why you're the best candidate for that scholarship.