The purpose of the scholarship fund is to provide financial assistance to students pursuing an accredited college degree or vocational certificate, and whose ability to cover the costs is severely compromised as a result of their family’s financial burden of ALS.
Eligibility
To be considered for The Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund, an applicant must be:
- An individual whose finances have been impacted negatively due to having a diagnosis of ALS themselves, or having a parent, guardian, or family member (living or deceased) diagnosed with ALS. Must be able to demonstrate financial need.
- A high school senior, high school graduate, current postsecondary undergraduate student, or currently enrolled in vocational program;
- Someone who is planning to enroll for a minimum of six credits per semester in undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year, in pursuit of completing a degree program;
- A U.S. Citizen attending a U.S. school.
The ALS Association’s goal is to fund as many students as resources allow, at $2,500 per semester or $5,000 per year.
Donate to the fund
Or you can mail your gift to the address below:
The ALS Association
ATTN: Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund
PO Box 37022
Boone, IA 50037-0022
Learn More About Jane Calmes
Jane Calmes was born in Coffeyville, Kansas, and spent her youth in Neodesha, Kansas. She attended Kansas University and later graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wichita State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science/Dental Hygiene. Jane was an accomplished dental hygienist and loved working with the public, all the while providing a necessary service with gentle thoroughness, for which she was noted. She married Mark Calmes in 1980 and together they had four children. Jane was also an ALS hero, having fought the disease for eight years through pure grit and determination. The family formed a very successful Walk to Defeat ALS team in her honor named Jane’s Angels. The team was formed in 2010 and continues today. Jane passed away peacefully at home on August 16, 2017, in the arms of her husband and surrounded by her loving family.
A Note from Mark Calmes
Jane was a fighter. She battled three major illnesses in a row - a silent heart attack, breast cancer, and finally, ALS. Every day she amazed me, especially with the courage she exhibited dealing with disease and the compassion she showed our family and others during her journey.
After Jane’s death, I began to think of ways to honor her and her courageous battle with disease, especially ALS. The idea of a scholarship fund resonated with me. Jane was always keen on education and the lifelong benefits it can provide. She insisted on our four kids getting a college education, and she volunteered at an after-school program with our church. So, as I thought about all of this, coupled with the fact that children of families dealing or having dealt with ALS are often overlooked and are collateral damage to the disease, it made perfect sense to help these kids. This collateral damage, which can affect and negatively impact children for a lifetime, needed to be addressed.
*The Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund is administered through Scholarship America.
