16th annual scholarship program for individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness expands to include those living with major depressive disorder
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) today announced that applications for the 2014-2015 school year are now available for the 16th annual Lilly Reintegration Scholarship. Since its inception, the program has directed more than four million dollars in tuition, books and laboratory fees to hundreds of colleges, trade and vocational schools and high school equivalency programs across the United States to fund educational pursuits of students living with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder. This year the program expands to include the diagnosis of major depressive disorder. Further information is available at www.reintegration.com.
"Our goal when the program was established in 1997 was to demonstrate that when proper community resources are in place, individuals battling mental illness can reintegrate into society," explained Robert Baker, M.D., vice president, global medical affairs, Lilly Bio-Medicines. "Based upon graduation rates today, it is clear that these dedicated students are achieving well beyond preliminary program goals. They are excelling in the classroom and predominantly graduating with honors. As part of our continuing commitment to the neuroscience community, we are pleased to expand the program to include students living with major depressive disorder."
Lilly Reintegration Scholarship students have pursued their educational goals at the University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, to name a few, as well as at more than three hundred state and private universities, community colleges and trade schools. Recent areas of study include architecture, business administration, medical lab technology, animation arts and cosmetology. An independent judging panel comprised of psychiatric care professionals review applications annually and select scholarship recipients.
"We are proud to expand the program to include students living with major depressive disorder," said Ralph Aquila, M.D., executive director of the Center for Reintegration and chairman of the Lilly Reintegration Scholarship judging panel. "More than fourteen million Americans live with major depression. They often times have difficulty performing the routine activities of daily life and experience social isolation; many are even hospitalized. We hope this program will be a source of inspiration for these students as well."
Dr. Aquila explained that after reviewing the success rate of past program participants, and seeing that their graduation rate is higher than the national average – 71 percent vs. 55.5 percent[i] – it was agreed that the program should expand the range to assist more students. "This is not like most other scholarships, as we work with each student's individual needs and we advocate for them," he noted. "When you are a Lilly Reintegration Scholar, you are not alone. You have the entire judging panel's faith in your abilities."
About the Lilly Reintegration Scholarship
The goal of the Lilly Reintegration Scholarship is to help people with schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder acquire the educational and vocational skills necessary to reintegrate into society, secure jobs and to improve their lives. Through the program, Eli Lilly and Company furthers its ongoing commitment to providing tools that enhance the reintegration continuum, allowing people to move their lives forward and achieve their individual potential. Further information is available at www.reintegration.com.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.
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[i] According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems:
http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/?year=2009&level=nation&mode=graph&state=0&submeasure=27
Refer to:
Stephanie Libous (RF|Binder), +1(212) 994-7588, [email protected]
Morry Smulevitz (Lilly), +1(317) 651-5567, [email protected]
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SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company