Scholarship Announcement
Tradition Continues
Since its start in 2012, a primary objective of the American College of Respiratory Therapy Education (ACRTE); formerly known as CoBGRTE) has been to advance respiratory therapy education. To accomplish this goal, ACRTE employs a multi-tiered approach that includes educational scholarships. The first scholarships were awarded in 2012. To date, ACRTE has awarded $111,900 in merit and research scholarships to 103 baccalaureate and graduate students. In 2026, we continue the spirit of inclusiveness, and with our name change, we are supporting all respiratory therapy education, from the associate degree to the doctoral level. We strongly believe the future of respiratory therapy education depends on us all. The NBRC also believes in this mission and has graciously supported ACRTE with $20,000 per year to support therapists in pursuit of doctoral degrees, to date for a total of $80,000, increasing the award to $25,000 for this year’s cycle. That support thus far has seen ten respiratory therapists supported in their pursuit of doctoral degrees, with one earning a PhD in rehabilitation science and another an EdD in workforce education.
There are several doctoral programs in health professions education that accept respiratory therapists. Most of the other scholarships to date have been awarded to students pursuing a baccalaureate degree. The ACRTE has opened scholarship opportunities to all student members, including those who are in associate degree programs, and multiple associate degree students received merit scholarships, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and supporting academic excellence across all levels of respiratory therapy education. Scholarships awarded thus far have been to students of 26 of our institutional members.
In the 2025 award cycle, there were 43 applicants from multiple ACRTE institutional member programs for respiratory therapy programs. Given that our goal is to advance respiratory therapy education, ACRTE will recognize all promising students in the RT profession. Opening the scholarships to community college RT students and their faculty will help to achieve ACRTE’s mission to advance respiratory therapy education. The 2026 scholarship cycle will again offer four types of scholarships (Merit, Smallwood Research, Malinowski Leadership, and NBRC supported faculty scholarships). This year, the ACRTE will continue to award 10 Merit scholarships as well as the Smallwood, Malinowski, and NBRC scholarships. The scholarship applications open May 1, 2026 and will close October 1 ,2026. Submit application materials electronically to:
Khamron Micheals, PhD, MHA, RRT kmicheals@utexas.edu Nicholas Henry, PhD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, AE-C nh14@txstate.eduACRTE Scholarship Committee Co-Chairs
There are several doctoral programs in health professions education that accept respiratory therapists. Most of the other scholarships to date have been awarded to students pursuing a baccalaureate degree. The ACRTE has opened scholarship opportunities to all student members, including those who are in associate degree programs, and multiple associate degree students received merit scholarships, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and supporting academic excellence across all levels of respiratory therapy education. Scholarships awarded thus far have been to students of 26 of our institutional members.
In the 2025 award cycle, there were 43 applicants from multiple ACRTE institutional member programs for respiratory therapy programs. Given that our goal is to advance respiratory therapy education, ACRTE will recognize all promising students in the RT profession. Opening the scholarships to community college RT students and their faculty will help to achieve ACRTE’s mission to advance respiratory therapy education. The 2026 scholarship cycle will again offer four types of scholarships (Merit, Smallwood Research, Malinowski Leadership, and NBRC supported faculty scholarships). This year, the ACRTE will continue to award 10 Merit scholarships as well as the Smallwood, Malinowski, and NBRC scholarships. The scholarship applications open May 1, 2026 and will close October 1 ,2026. Submit application materials electronically to:
Khamron Micheals, PhD, MHA, RRT kmicheals@utexas.edu Nicholas Henry, PhD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, AE-C nh14@txstate.eduACRTE Scholarship Committee Co-Chairs
