Yes, I know, you hate Eli Lilly. In fact, you hate all “big pharma;” I know. But right now you have a chance to get your hands on a scholarship that pays for tuition, books and lab fees and I really think you should consider it. The Eli Lilly Reintegration Scholarship is available to those living with bipolar disorder or a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder.
It’s Tough Going to School with Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia
Look, I got a degree while experiencing the symptoms of bipolar disorder and, let I me tell you, it was no picnic. Other people have gotten degrees too, so, of course, it’s possible, but it’s not easy going to school with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
And I believe that people with a mental illness could use a hand in making their education goals come true. I believe people with a mental illness often lack education because of how tough it is to go to school. But I also believe that we can do it and extra money helps.
The Eli Lilly Reintegration Scholarship can be used for:
- High school equivalency programs
- Trade or vocational school programs
- Associate degrees
- Bachelor degrees
- Graduate degrees
So basically, whatever your educational heart desires.
Yes, I Think the Eli Lilly Reintegration Scholarship is a Good Thing
And look, even if you hate “big pharma” I think you still have to admit that this is a good thing. Eli Lilly could have put this money into anything, but instead they’re choosing to use it to fund schooling for people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Last year about 70 students got Eli Lilly Reintegration Scholarships. And the good news is, you can continue to get the scholarship for your continuing schooling as people who currently receive the scholarship are given preference to get it again (as long as you meet certain requirements).
Of course Eli Lilly gets good PR out of their Reintegration Scholarships, but look, this is PR that can help you too, which is a good thing.
I managed to wrap up a degree in nuclear engineering while experiencing schizophrenia symptoms. I have zero clue how I pulled that off, and I don’t even use it now. I’m successful having started my own business. But that degree has been leveraged in so many ways. People simply get impressed by it. I recommend anyone who doubts their ability to venture through and complete college to definitely take advantage of this scholarship. It will build so much respect and credibility to your resume!
Is this open to Canadian residants?
“Be a U.S. citizen and plan to attend a school in the United States” – from the application form. Kinda sucks: what are we, chopped liver? We buy their drugs too!
It sucks when an opportunity doesn’t include you. Please remember that here in the States there are a lot of gaps in care of people with major disabilities. For those of us with bipolar disorder, if we’re heavily disabled but can’t establish that we’re completely disabled, we can end up on the street starving because of the gaps in disability care.
If you can go through the arduous and lengthy process of proving complete disability you can get *some* assistance from our federal government.
If you are high function and can hold down a job you can keep yourself fed, maybe.
A lot of us just plain fall through the cracks if we don’t have family to take care of us.
There’s a patchwork of various state social services and charities and friends and family that we manage to cobble together and get by on. A lot of bipolar women get by by the Find A Guy method. They find a boyfriend to take care of them. They do what they can when they’re well, but basically he’s getting sex and affection and a girlfriend and she has someone to take care of her. Since bipolar disorder disproportionately affects women, and a lot of these women also have borderline personality disorder and are in relationships with men who are kinda jerks.
Society asks, “Why don’t they leave?” and laments the “social problem.” They don’t connect the dots to the lack of services for the partially disabled. It’s a form of soft prostitution but, hey, it keeps the national debt from being even larger.
People in the States, particularly women, desperately need the kind of program Eli Lily offers, because the government social services are so bad compared to those provided by comparable developed nations.
By “men who are kinda jerks,” I mean that some of these women with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder end up with the “Find A Guy” boyfriend who takes care of them becoming an abuser over time. And she’s trapped and can’t leave because he’s her only source of care.
The abuser didn’t trap her, the system did. Maybe the abuser has done the typical abuser things to cut her off from support systems and other potential resources that could help her, but the system had already done ninety percent of the job for him. Would-be abusers target partners who already need rescuing and start off the relationship by coming in and “saving” them.
The irony is that for the bipolar, it’s a choice between the frying pan and the fire.
I suppose this can apply to male bipolars, too. They’re in an equally vulnerable position, but a lot of them end up in federally-provided, secure Group Homes. The United States has more of this kind of secure Group Housing for the mentally ill than any other developed, free nation. Federal Penitentiaries are a damned weird place to house the mentally ill, and my tongue is far into my cheek when I say it’s “sub-optimal.” But they’re not going to freeze to death or starve, I guess.
It would be nice if we could bitch slap the feds into recognizing that they *are* housing the mentally ill at government expense, anyway, and get them to split off that population, use the same funds they’re using now, and do it right instead of doing jail. But that would make too much sense.
Julie, I agree that the need is greater in the States. I could argue that in another neighbouring country, Mexico, the need is even greater, but I respect your comments and will leave it be. You obviously have some passion on this issue – perhaps through personal experience? If so, you have my sympathy and support. Take care!
Thank you for sharing info about this scholarship. My husband may be interested. :)
Thanks again Natasha for providing a wonderful opportunity, I will share it with my members as well. I did check the link for downloading the application after seeing a comment above saying it wasn’t working and it worked well for me today.
The link on the Lilly website for the application does not work! What’s up with that?
Things like this remind me of Major Barbara (are the dirty money when it comes to good cause? Or is money simply money and if it’s used for good, then it is good?). Of course if I were a dictator, I’d make all undeserving and all big corporations to give money to “as needed” fund.
As long as there are not too many strings attached, it’s all good in my book.
I am bit iffy about having to be on drugs to recieve the scholarship (does one have to on drugs the whole time of studies or just in the moment of application? Things could get shady from there).
For once I agree with you VenusH. The absolute requirement to be on medication is a bit iffy. It highlights the scholarship for the promotional activity which it is.
But if you were on medication anyway, no harm in applying is there? Didn’t see whether this was an internationally available scholarship or not. Probably not.
Hi VenusH,
Just to let you know, I asked an Eli Lilly representative this question and I’m just waiting for the response. I’ll let you know when I have it.
– Natasha Tracy
Brilliant programme! I agree , this is not prostitution. As long as post-secondary education is as poorly supported as it currently is by society, any source of funding is welcome. Just because you accept the money doesn’t mean you have to agree to be a pharmaceutical shill.
I made three attempts to get my bachelors before I realized that I just didn’t have the emotional strength to press on for four consecutive years. (I know things are different now) I simply crashed out in disgrace after two or three years each time, at considerable cost to my family and to the public purse. Stupid! I could have easily waited 40 years for this scholarship, knowing they would understand if I needed a break now and then, or a reduced course load for a time.
Should have used this for my MSW.