August 1, 2023
Congratulations to Jeremy “Jem” Patrick!
This year’s competition was fierce. We had some extraordinary applicants. In the end, however, Jem Patrick’s application surfaced with just the right blend of academic commitment and community engagement—fueled by personal experience—to take the prize.
Jem is pursuing a BS with a self-designed concentration in assistive technology (AT). They discovered the AT field when they joined the school’s Disability Culture Club. From there, they found their way to support students in the UMass AT Lab and to an internship at Stavros (a REquipment program partner!), where they helped refurbish durable medical equipment.
Jem’s application essay makes powerful points:
“With the skills I learned from my internship, I have become the go-to mechanic whenever anyone has issues with their wheelchairs or other DME. As part of the community, the people I help aren’t just nameless clients; they’re my friends, my roommate, my partner. By expanding my skills and pursuing this career, I am directly helping those closest to me.”
About the Jen Baker Memorial Scholarship, Jem writes: “It will allow me to develop the skill to better aid those closest to me, as well as people just coming to terms with a new disability, as I was only a couple of years ago. To me, a career in AT is not just a job; it is my responsibility to my community.”
Congratulations again, Jeremy Patrick. We are thrilled to support you on your professional and personal journey and excited for the wealth of experience you will bring to the AT/DME reuse field.
The Jennifer Baker Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 award that honors the memory of our beloved program director, who passed away at the start of 2022. Jen Baker was a lifelong learner who helped build the REquipment program.
