Alabama Society of Physician Assistants
Scholarship Rules

1. Each year, the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants (ASPA) will award one scholarship to a first year and a second year student enrolled in each of the accredited (ARC-PA or successor) physician assistant programs at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of South Alabama. Should a program lose its accreditation, its students would not be eligible for the scholarship. The student must be a member in good standing of the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants.
   
   
2. The scholarship committee shall consist of the ASPA Board of Directors (Board). The amount of the scholarship shall be determined annually by the Board.
   
   
3. All scholarship applicants shall be first or second year students in good standing as attested by the program director.
   
   
4. Family members of board members are ineligible for the scholarship.
   
   
5. Criteria for selection shall include, but not be limited to:
   a. Academic standing
   b. Commitment to the profession
   c. Intention to practice in Alabama
   d. Commitment to the community
   e. Complete application including required documentation
   
   
6. The deadline for applications shall be November 15th, annually. The scholarship shall be awarded no later than March 1 of the next year.
   
   
7. The application packet shall include:
   a. Completed application including personal statement
   b. Unofficial school transcript
   c. Current curriculum vitae

The Brown Manning Scholarship

Mr. Brown Manning, MPH, PA-C was laid to rest on July 20, 2005 in the Acton Memorial Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama. Brown was well know to the medical profession in Alabama and served in many roles in professional associations and education. This was evident by the number of PAs, physicians, and nurses that were in attendance at his funeral.

As many know Brown was an avid Georgia Bulldog fan where he earned his Bachelor's degree. He also earned his MPH degree from UAB.

Brown served as the Program Director of the Emory University PA Program. He worked clinically for a majority of his career caring for the indigent and disenfranchised.

Brown was a Major in the Alabama National Guard. Brown served proudly as a physician assistant in the military and was buried with a full military honor guard. He had recently served in Kuwait.

After earning his PA degree, Brown was never afraid to assume a leadership role where needed. Brown served in almost every position in the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants including the President. He worked to improve relations between the PAs in the State and physician organizations including the Medical Association of Alabama and the State Board of Medical Examiners. He played an instrumental role in almost every law passed in Alabama in support of an increased role of utilization of PAs. Brown played a role in the education of PAs in the country by serving on the Accreditation Review Committee for Physician Assistant programs.

In memory of Brown there has been a ground swell of support to establish the Brown Manning Memorial Scholarship. Physicians are taking the lead in contributing and are asking their PA colleagues to also contribute. We will take any contribution but we need to contribute adequately to establish the scholarship fund to assist students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham PA program and the University of South Alabama PA program.

Please make your checks payable to the PA Foundation, Brown Manning Memorial Scholarship and mail to the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants, PO Box 1075, Wetumpka, Al 36092. The contributions for the scholarship will be tax deductible. The scholarship recipients will receive national publicity through AAPA publications.

Please consider donating to this fund. Contributing $50, $100, $500 or more will help to establish a legacy for a PA who gave his whole life helping others. What a tremendous way to establish a scholarship to help others follow in that role.

ASPA would like to thank the following donors for contributing to the Brown Manning Scholarship Fund: ARC-PA, Kimberly Braun, Jeff Chandler, Claire H. Donaldson, Hubert Gavin, Michael Hites, Marvin Kalachman, Rick Kilgore, Max Michael, and Deborah A. Stanford