The Deacon Matheson Memorial Scholarship Application Process:

We are pleased to invite you to apply for the Deacon Matheson Memorial Scholarship, which is aimed at providing financial assistance to Canadian piercers hoping to attend the APP Annual Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada. This scholarship is open to any Canadian piercer who would like to attend the conference, but may be facing financial constraints preventing them from doing so. Please fill out the attached form, and submit an additional 200-500 word essay outlining why you are in need of this scholarship, and how you feel attending would benefit you. Applying for other scholarships does not preclude you from applying for the Deacon Matheson Memorial Scholarship, however confirmed recipients of another scholarship will be removed from consideration upon receipt of another scholarship. 

Recipients of the Deacon Matheson Memorial Scholarship will receive:

1. A full conference pass
   which will give you access to any classes and workshops available to your pertinent status (ie non-members will not have access to members-only classes) as well as access to the vendor exposition.
2. Paid accommodation at the host hotel, Planet Hollywood.
   If more than one scholarship is awarded, you may be sharing a room with other scholarship recipients.
3. Travel allowance to cover flight costs to and from Las Vegas.
4. Assistance from the scholarship coordinator in selecting classes and managing your schedule while you are at conference.

Recipients will be responsible for:

1. Getting to and from the airports local to you, and from Harry Reid International Airport to the host hotel.
   There is a Facebook group called APP Conference Attendees, which you will be added to, where you can search for rideshares with other conference attendees to assist in getting to and from the hotel.
   
   
2. Meal costs while at the conference. 
   There are several grocery stores nearby, and you can also order groceries online to be delivered to the hotel to help keep food costs down during your stay. There are also plenty of restaurants within the hotel and just outside of it, but Vegas can get expensive if you’re dining out for every meal, and time between classes may be limited depending on your class schedule. 
   
   
3. Personal conduct while in attendance. 
   You will be representing yourself, your home studio, and the Scholarship while you are at conference. We expect your personal conduct to be at a professional level, keeping in mind that this is an educational opportunity and your activities at conference should not affect your ability to attend classes or workshops or reflect negatively on you as a scholarship recipient.
   
   
4. A post-conference essay outlining your experience attending the conference, what you gained from attending, and the ways in which you feel attending the conference has benefitted you as a piercer, which will be shared at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. 
   This essay should be 300-500 words, and will be due within 2 weeks of returning home.