Professional Development Opportunities
MERID is a proud sponsor of the RID CMP and ACET program that gives continuing
education credit to interpreters. Because of MERID’s commitment to offering as many
opportunities as possible for the professional development of its members, we sponsor
a number of training opportunities throughout the year, often in conjunction with the
University of Southern Maine and its program in ASL/English interpreting.
Upcoming trainings:
August 22-24: Retreat for educational interpreters
MERID Scholarships
MERID recognizes that members may occasionally need assistance in paying for their
professional development When other funding sources, such as employers, state
agencies, etc. have been exhausted, MERID offers partial funding assistance to its
members. This assistance takes the form of three scholarship funds. For more
information about these scholarships, read on.
Application Procedures
Who can apply?
Applicants must be members in good standing of the Maine RID who have been
members for at least one year prior to submitting an application for scholarship.
Which scholarship fund can I use?
Maine RID has three types of scholarship. There is the General Scholarship, the Rural
Educational Interpreter Scholarship Fund, and the Legal Training Fund. When applying
for a scholarship, please indicate which type of scholarship you are requesting. Criteria
for each fund can be found at the links below:
General Scholarship
Legal Training Fund
Rural Educational Interpreter Scholarship Fund
What type of activities may be applied for?
Any activity, sponsored by the Maine RID or otherwise, that is in harmony with the goals of
the Maine RID and that would provide further professional development to RID members
may be applied for. This would include, but is not limited to, workshops, classes,
conferences, and presentations on topics relating to ASL, Deaf culture/community, and
interpreting.
How is an application made? Scholarship application forms are included with the
membership packet sent to all new members and are periodically included in the Maine
RID newsletter. In addition, both the secretary and the chair of the scholarship committee
maintain a supply of such applications. Once the application is completed, it must be
mailed along with a copy of an announcement or flyer describing the event to the
committee chair no less than 30 days before the registration deadline for such event.
This will allow time for applications to be reviewed and recommendations made to the
Board. If approved, the Board will determine if funds are to be made available to the
applicant directly or to the sponsors of the event.
How are awards made?
The committee operates on an annual budget, which has been determined with
stipulations approved by the Board. Preference will be given to applicants who have not
previously received scholarship funds during the past twelve months. Applicants who
meet all the application criteria and whose request falls within budget guidelines will
receive an award if funds are available. Such recommendations will be made to the
Board, whose decision is final. Appeals must be made in writing to the scholarship
committee, with a copy sent to the president of the Board.
What are the responsibilities of recipients?
In harmony with the acceptance statement on the scholarship application, scholarship
recipients must be willing to reciprocate. This may be done by sharing the knowledge
acquired from the event through an in-service presentation, or article for the Maine RID
newsletter. In addition, recipients would be expected to provide service to the
organization through committee involvement or other volunteer efforts. Arrangements to
provide such services must be finalized prior to attending an event for which a
scholarship has been received. Documentation of the performance of such services
must be presented to the Chair of the Scholarship Committee for record-keeping
purposes.
The Maine RID Board expects scholarship recipients to make every possible attempt to
attend the funded event. In the event of illness or accident, the recipient must inform the
Scholarship Committee Chair or the Maine RID President immediately.
Maine RID recognizes that some members may not be able to pay professional
development activities and wishes to encourage ongoing skill building by offering partial
funding of such activities. Members are also encouraged to seek other funding sources
such as employers, agencies (including state agencies), etc.
To apply for a scholarship, please click here.
MERID is a proud sponsor of the RID CMP and ACET program that gives continuing
education credit to interpreters. Because of MERID’s commitment to offering as many
opportunities as possible for the professional development of its members, we sponsor
a number of training opportunities throughout the year, often in conjunction with the
University of Southern Maine and its program in ASL/English interpreting.
Upcoming trainings:
August 22-24: Retreat for educational interpreters
MERID Scholarships
MERID recognizes that members may occasionally need assistance in paying for their
professional development When other funding sources, such as employers, state
agencies, etc. have been exhausted, MERID offers partial funding assistance to its
members. This assistance takes the form of three scholarship funds. For more
information about these scholarships, read on.
Application Procedures
Who can apply?
Applicants must be members in good standing of the Maine RID who have been
members for at least one year prior to submitting an application for scholarship.
Which scholarship fund can I use?
Maine RID has three types of scholarship. There is the General Scholarship, the Rural
Educational Interpreter Scholarship Fund, and the Legal Training Fund. When applying
for a scholarship, please indicate which type of scholarship you are requesting. Criteria
for each fund can be found at the links below:
General Scholarship
Legal Training Fund
Rural Educational Interpreter Scholarship Fund
What type of activities may be applied for?
Any activity, sponsored by the Maine RID or otherwise, that is in harmony with the goals of
the Maine RID and that would provide further professional development to RID members
may be applied for. This would include, but is not limited to, workshops, classes,
conferences, and presentations on topics relating to ASL, Deaf culture/community, and
interpreting.
How is an application made? Scholarship application forms are included with the
membership packet sent to all new members and are periodically included in the Maine
RID newsletter. In addition, both the secretary and the chair of the scholarship committee
maintain a supply of such applications. Once the application is completed, it must be
mailed along with a copy of an announcement or flyer describing the event to the
committee chair no less than 30 days before the registration deadline for such event.
This will allow time for applications to be reviewed and recommendations made to the
Board. If approved, the Board will determine if funds are to be made available to the
applicant directly or to the sponsors of the event.
How are awards made?
The committee operates on an annual budget, which has been determined with
stipulations approved by the Board. Preference will be given to applicants who have not
previously received scholarship funds during the past twelve months. Applicants who
meet all the application criteria and whose request falls within budget guidelines will
receive an award if funds are available. Such recommendations will be made to the
Board, whose decision is final. Appeals must be made in writing to the scholarship
committee, with a copy sent to the president of the Board.
What are the responsibilities of recipients?
In harmony with the acceptance statement on the scholarship application, scholarship
recipients must be willing to reciprocate. This may be done by sharing the knowledge
acquired from the event through an in-service presentation, or article for the Maine RID
newsletter. In addition, recipients would be expected to provide service to the
organization through committee involvement or other volunteer efforts. Arrangements to
provide such services must be finalized prior to attending an event for which a
scholarship has been received. Documentation of the performance of such services
must be presented to the Chair of the Scholarship Committee for record-keeping
purposes.
The Maine RID Board expects scholarship recipients to make every possible attempt to
attend the funded event. In the event of illness or accident, the recipient must inform the
Scholarship Committee Chair or the Maine RID President immediately.
Maine RID recognizes that some members may not be able to pay professional
development activities and wishes to encourage ongoing skill building by offering partial
funding of such activities. Members are also encouraged to seek other funding sources
such as employers, agencies (including state agencies), etc.
To apply for a scholarship, please click here.
| Professional Development |
