UCB Crohn's Scholarship Program to Award $300,000 to Students with Crohn's Disease

Scholarship rewards remarkable individuals who break the boundaries of living with Crohn's

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- UCB (www.ucb-group.com) announced today the launch of the 2008 UCB Crohn's Scholarship (http://www.clickthat2006.com/UCB/scholarship) Program, which will award 30, one-time scholarships of up to $10,000 each to students diagnosed with Crohn's disease who demonstrate academic ambition and drive to reach beyond the boundaries of their condition. Applications for the scholarship are now available at CrohnsAndMe.com (http://www.clickthat2006.com/UCB/scholarship). Winners will be selected by a team of gastroenterologists from leading institutions across the country.

"I am humbled each year as the scholarship applications are submitted. The applicants are truly remarkable," said David Robinson, Vice President, Immunology Business Unit, UCB. "Their determination and perseverance, despite the many challenges they face due to Crohn's, is an inspiration and a credit to their own drive and fortitude. They are all gifted individuals, and I have no doubt they will reach their academic and personal goals."

Previous scholarship recipients include individuals who have shown a passion to pursue their academic dreams despite the challenges posed by Crohn's disease. One previous winner from the 2007 program, Riva Litman, is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Litman impressed the selection committee with her ambitious dedication to improving the lives of all people with Crohn's. As a high school student in California, Riva was dealing with overwhelming ailments, including hospitalizations related to Crohn's. Yet, Riva had the courage to board a plane to Washington, D.C., to lobby for funding for research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Her experience ignited a passion for public policy that has continued to grow. Riva can also be proud of her recent prestigious internship in the Office of Presidential Speechwriting at the White House for the President of the United States.

"Despite having lived with Crohn's since I was 15 years old, I have never let it impede my ability to achieve the goals I've set for myself," said Riva. "The scholarship stands for everything I believe in: that one can truly succeed in the wake of challenges. I am passionate about law, public policy, and politics and hope that my fight to seek funding for and promote awareness of Crohn's can someday make an impact on the lives of others who, like me, are affected by it."

The 2008 UCB Crohn's Scholarship Program builds on $420,000 in UCB scholarships granted in 2006 and 2007 for people with Crohn's seeking higher education. UCB launched the scholarship pilot program in 2006 and awarded 12 recipients scholarships of up to $10,000 each. In 2007, UCB continued the program awarding academic excellence and perseverance by providing 31 students from across the country with one-time scholarships of up to $10,000 each. Select winner biographies can be found online at CrohnsAndMe.com (http://www.clickthat2006.com/UCB/scholarship).

Applications Now Available for the 2008 Program

Scholarship applications are available at CrohnsAndMe.com (http://www.clickthat2006.com/UCB/scholarship), an interactive Web site designed to connect people living with Crohn's disease and their supporters and empower them to live fully and be proactive in their care. The application deadline is April 18, 2008 and winners will be notified in July 2008.

The program is designed for applicants of any age. Applicants must be legal and permanent residents of the United States; diagnosed with Crohn's disease by a physician; seeking an associate's, undergraduate, or graduate degree or enrolled in a trade school educational program; enrolled in or awaiting acceptance from a United States-based institution of higher education for fall semester 2008 and a student who demonstrates academic ambition and embraces a way of life that overcomes the boundaries of living with Crohn's disease.

Employees of UCB and their immediate family members are not eligible for this scholarship. Selection of recipients will be at the sole discretion of the physician panel members. After a winner's educational enrollment has been verified for the fall 2008 semester, the scholarship check will be made payable to and directly mailed to the educational institution. Scholarship amounts will be up to $10,000 each to cover the recipient's tuition and/or educational materials expenses. However, if a student does not have a minimum of $10,000 in educational expenses owed for his/her schooling, the scholarship amount will only cover the remaining amount. Scholarship money cannot be used towards expenses other than those due to the school for education expenses. If UCB learns that an applicant does not have any remaining costs owed to the academic institution, he/she will no longer be eligible for the scholarship. Winners of the 2006 and 2007 scholarship programs are not eligible for the 2008 scholarship program.

About Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic and debilitating inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, affecting more than 500,000 people in the United States. Crohn's is a lifelong chronic condition, but most people are diagnosed in their late teens and early twenties. Crohn's sufferers go through unpredictable periods when the disease flares up and causes symptoms. These episodes are often followed by times of remission -- periods in which symptoms disappear or decrease and good health returns.

2007 Program Scholarship Recipients

UCB has announced the recipients of the 2007 scholarships, which were awarded to 31 students across the country. Recipients were considered based on their applications, personal essays, and letters of recommendation and include:

? Alex Akers, University of California, Los Angeles

? Stephanie Bachas-Daunert, Princeton University

? Samuel Barnes, University of Utah

? Brittni Bryant, Auburn University

? Nikelia Chisolm, Teachers College, Columbia University

? Lisa Clavel, Peninsula College

? Jessica Cope, University of California, Santa Barbara

? Jordan Fifer, Virginia Western Community College

? Aimee Frisch, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

? Tayler Harvey, University of North Carolina Wilmington

? Tiffany Havlicek, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

? Jennifer Higdon, East Carolina University

? Kelly Horton, University of Arkansas, Little Rock

? Julie Michelle Katrichis, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

? Rachel King, Illinois State University

? Melissa Kwaterski, Marquette University

? Sarah Listug, Creighton University, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions

? Riva Litman, University of California, Berkeley

? Laura Maples, Virginia Tech

? Michael Margherita, Lehigh University

? Marissa Moffitt, Chapman University

? Grace O'Shea, Colgate University

? Kendall Plageman, College of William and Mary - School of Education

? Jill Plevinsky, The George Washington University

? Charlotte Roche, Central Michigan University

? Lydia Rosenbaum, Mount Mary College - Columbia College of Nursing

? Rajesh Shah, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

? Jordyn Shapiro, New York Institute of Technology

? Nathan Tanoue, Taylor University

? Jordan Valinsky, Ohio University

? Michael Schacht, Indiana University School of Medicine

About UCB

UCB is a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders and oncology. Employing approximately 12,000 people in more than 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of $4.6 billion (3.5 billion euro) in 2006 on a pro forma basis. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange and, through its affiliate, owns approximately 89 percent of the shares of SCHWARZ PHARMA AG. UCB's worldwide headquarters is located in Brussels, Belgium; the U.S. headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information about UCB, visit www.ucb-group.com.

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