Annual Scholarships

The number and amount of these scholarships varies each year. The money is donated annually and the scholarship is awarded the following year. Funds are not invested.

Big Hat Scholarship:

Awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student with the amount dependent on donations received at the TDA Annual Meeting when the “Big Hat” is passed. The Big Hat Scholarship started in 1983, when Kennon Moffitt of Dallas was TDA President, with the donation of a big cowboy hat from Pete Laney, West Texas Legislator.

Corporate Sponsored Scholarships:

May be available subject to funding from corporate sponsors. Computrition Scholarships of $2000 awarded 2002 to date. Computrition Inc. is the leading provider of fully integrated food service and nutrition management software systems.

Previous Corporate Scholarships:

1. Mead-Johnson supported a $500 scholarship in 2002 and 2003.
2. The Keebler Scholarship totaling $11,000 was awarded 1996 through 2001.
3. The Fruit and Vegetable Association Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded in 1999.
4. A Ross Labs $500 Scholarship was awarded in 1997.
5. White Swan/Stouffer Foods sponsored $10,000 scholarships in 1987–1989. Sysco sponsored $2,500 scholarships 1985–87.

District Dietetic Association Scholarships :

Awarded to graduate or undergraduate students according to criteria developed by the district(s) donating the scholarship funds. Preference is usually given to a student from the district, providing the scholarship, and/or to a student attending a university in that district. District scholarships are dependent on available funds from the districts. Districts include:

The Corpus Christi Dietetic Association sponsored a memorial scholarship in 2003 for Dr. Sandra Simons, Dietetic Internship Director for the Texas A&M University - Kingsville system since 1994.  She began the internship, got the program accredited, and guided over 50 interns through the program as Director.  Dr. Simons received her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and her Masters and Ph.D. from The University of Illinois in Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Simmons passed away in 2002.

The San Antonio Dietetic Association sponsored two scholarships in 2002 as a memorial to their President, Linda Farr's Mother, Helen Key Joseph, M.S., R.D. Mrs. Joseph received her BS in Foods and Nutrition at Oklahoma A&M University. She worked most of her career as the food service director and clinical dietitian for Children’s Hospital, a small physical rehab hospital, at the University of Iowa. She also taught nutrition to nursing students. Ms. Joseph passed away in 2001.

The Houston Area Dietetic Association sponsored two memorial scholarships in 2002: Dr. Oddis Turner and Dr. Corinne M. Montandon. Dr. Turner taught at Texas Southern University. Dr. Montandon was a dietitian at USDA's Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Eileen Countiss Mathias Memorial Scholarship was awarded in 2001. Mrs. Mathias was raised in Hinsdale, IL, attended Iowa State University, earned a B.S. in Institutional Management in 1956, and completed the dietetic internship in Hartford, CT. She began as dietitian at Rice University in 1957 and joined the staff at Southern Methodist University in 1959. She served as consulting dietitian in the nursing home industry in the Houston area. She married William J. Mathias in 1959. She passed away on September 25, 2000.

Individual Scholarships:

In 2007, Merry Jo Hopkins established an annual scholarship which will be given to a minority student each year.
In 2007, Georgia Kostas established a scholarship in honor of her mother by awarding $1000 annually for the next five years.

Practice Group Scholarships:

Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students according to criteria developed by the dietetic practice group contributing the scholarship funds. Since 1999, the Texas Consultant Dietitians in Health Care Facilities Practice Group has donated $1,000 awarded yearly with total a total of $9,000 being awarded so far.

Raffle Ticket Scholarships:

Awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student. Funds for this scholarship are raised by selling raffle tickets in each district and at the TDA Annual Meeting. Recent prizes have included airline tickets, weekend getaways, and a variety of products, gift cards and gift certificates. Recent prizes have been donated by Computrition, Houstonian, Frito Lay, Sysco, Supermarket Savvy, Night Hawk Frozen Foods, Yahoo Baking Company, Wal-Mart (Lubbock), Wysteria Gardens, Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Debra Reed, and Beth Stephens. The amount and number of scholarships varies with ticket sales.

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