Scholarships and Awards

Purpose

The NBOTC Frances Swift Scholarship Award was established in 1984 to honor the pioneering Black Occupational Therapist, Frances Swift. The purpose of this scholarship is to annually provide financial incentive and encouragement to one Black student who is pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy.

Application

The Scholarship application process for 2026 is now open. The deadline for all applications will be March 20th, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST. For any questions regarding the scholarship form or process, please contact our Scholarship Chair at NBOTCScholarship@gmail.com.

Download the Application

Scholarship History

The NBOTC scholarship award was established in 1984 in honor of Frances Swift, a Black Occupational Therapist, who was a passenger on the ill-fated Korean Airlines Flight 007, shot down by the Soviet Union on September 1, 1983. Frances Swift graduated from the University of Buffalo in Occupational Therapy. She held positions in Occupational Therapy in Washington, D.C., and Detroit, Michigan. She was Chief Occupational Therapist at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Detroit. At the time of her death, Frances Swift was en route to Japan to explore the linkage between Asians and African-Americans.

Juan'Nique B. Campbell, who goes by Nique, is originally from Long Beach, California. She moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue her undergraduate degree at Howard University and is currently a first-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at George Washington University. She aspires to become a community-based occupational therapist, with goals of opening an after-school youth recreational center and consulting with government facilities to improve accessibility and inclusivity.

Community spaces have always been foundational in her life, as she has been involved with libraries, volunteered with parks, and enjoys participating in free activities and classes. Some of her favorite occupations include sewing, gaming, spending time with her family, and exploring the East Coast. These occupations highlight the importance of leisure and freedom of time, helping her relax as a graduate student and embrace her identity beyond academics.

Jayla Bainbridge is from Reading, Pennsylvania. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish from East Stroudsburg University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Alvernia University. Her interest in neurology and passion for building relationships drew her to occupational therapy, where she can integrate creativity, interpersonal connection, and neuroscience.

She enjoys expressing her creativity through drawing, hair styling, and baking. Jayla also values holistic well-being, which has led her to explore fitness, nutrition, and juicing. Through these experiences, she has developed discipline and a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in forming new habits, making her more empathetic toward patients working toward positive change.