OARacle Newsletter

It is OAR’s pleasure to announce the two recipients of the first of two rounds of the 2023 Synchrony Tech Scholarships: Lucinda Hemingway and Nathaniel Castellanos. Castellanos will complete the Miami Dade College’s Certificate of Professional Preparation in Networking Program with the scholarship. Hemingway plans to use the scholarship to attend The University of New Mexico’s Front End Coding Bootcamp. 

Unlike OAR’s other scholarships, which support autistic students pursuing two- and four-year degree programs, the Synchrony Tech Scholarship supports autistic adults interested in obtaining technology-related certifications to pursue or advance their careers. Scholarship award amounts depend on the certification program but can range from $500 to $5,000. 

“The OAR Synchrony Tech Scholarship has granted me the opportunity…to learn the formal training of front-end development coding,” Hemingway said. “This program is making me feel a renewed strength I felt I did not have permission to have before. I am really thankful for this opportunity from OAR, and I think this will increase my chances of getting a job that fits me better.” 

“On behalf of OAR and Synchrony, I am excited to have Lucinda and Nathaniel as the two most recent recipients of the Synchrony Tech Scholarship,” said Kristen Essex, OAR’s executive director. “They have both chosen phenomenal programs to help make them more competitive in the job market. I look forward to seeing how well they do and what they achieve in the future.” 

Are you interested in advancing your career in the tech field? OAR is actively accepting applications for this scholarship on a rolling basis through December 31, 2023. The next priority review date is September 30, 2023.