Each year ATA offers its members an opportunity to apply for several scholarships given
in honor of some of the outstanding leaders of the activity profession. Applications for
each scholarship are accepted between February 1st and June 1st each year. The
recipients are announced at the June annual meeting.
The Madge Schweinsberg Memorial Scholarship pays the cost of registration to the
IAPA conference for an activity director and ATA member planning to attend the IAPA
conference.
Madge, formerly a teacher and interior decorator, was offered the position as an activity
director by her brother, a nursing home administrator. With her strong background in art
and teaching, and her love of music, he knew she would make an outstanding activity
director, a job she did with great expertise and enthusiasm for approximately twenty years.
Having no experience in nursing homes, Madge recognized the need for activity directors
to have more education in order to do their jobs effectively. Because there was a lack of
information on activities as a profession, she helped organize ATA, which led to IAPA, and
eventually NAAP. She was instrumental in establishing NCCAP and served as the first
reviewer for professional certification. Madge was a true visionary in the field of activities
and her influence is still felt more than thirty years later.
The Gayle Allen-Burket Memorial Scholarship pays the cost for one of the following:
registration to the IAPA conference; activity supplies and/or resources at a cost
determined by the ATA board; or complimentary 2006-2007 ATA member package, which
includes September Seminar registration, 2006-2007 ATA membership, and registration
for the ATA Activity Assistants’ Workshop.
Gayle began her career as an activity assistant. Throughout her career, she stressed the
importance of activity assistants taking advantage of educational opportunities available to
them. She was a mentor to many activity professionals and a nationally known educator in
the field of activities. As a leader of ATA and IAPA, she encouraged both organizations to
offer continuing education geared toward activity assistants in the field. With her
encouragement and help many activity assistants have gone on to become activity
directors, consultants, and leaders in the profession.
The Cindy Gearring Memorial Scholarship is a one-year membership to ATA.
Cindy was a long-time member of ATA. She worked in activities with the elderly, mentally
ill, and developmentally disabled populations. Cindy gave herself to her profession, was
always willing to help others, and was a mentor to members of ATA. As a long-time
member of the executive board, Cindy worked tirelessly on many projects and always
supported all of the association’s efforts.
The Susan Quattrochi-Tubin Fellowship pays the cost of tuition for an ATA member to
take the Activity Director’s Basic Course.
Susan teaches the Activity Director’s Basic Course at Oakton Community College and has
been a leader in the field of activities for over twenty-five years. Her enthusiasm for the
work she does is truly inspirational. She has presented workshops on all subjects
pertaining to activities and written many articles for professional journals. She is an
inspiration and mentor to many in her chosen profession.
The Esther Davis Award was developed by the ATA board to recognize the support of
the activity profession by someone outside the field. ATA presented this award for the first
time in 2001 to a person who exhibited outstanding commitment to enhancing the activity
profession and the residents’ quality of life through the provision of quality activity
programming.
This award is named in honor of Esther Davis, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist and mentor to many activity professionals. Esther began her career as an
activity assistant and later became a consultant. She left the activity profession to work
for a large healthcare provider and continues to lobby for and support the profession.
Esther is best known as an educator, providing educational programs and workshops
across Illinois. She has written many professional articles and produced several books in
cooperation with other authors.
Criteria:
1. Actively support and be involved in projects that further the
activity profession, activity programs, and quality of life for the residents.
2. Make a visible contribution to the activity profession through his/her leadership example.
3. Demonstrate support for continuing education and skill development of activity
professionals at all levels of employment and experience.
Scholarship and Nomination Forms
Madge Schweinsberg Memorial Scholarship
Gayle Allen-Burket Memorial Scholarship
Cindy Gearring Memorial Scholarship
Susan Quattrochi-Tubin Fellowship
Esther Davis Award
in honor of some of the outstanding leaders of the activity profession. Applications for
each scholarship are accepted between February 1st and June 1st each year. The
recipients are announced at the June annual meeting.
The Madge Schweinsberg Memorial Scholarship pays the cost of registration to the
IAPA conference for an activity director and ATA member planning to attend the IAPA
conference.
Madge, formerly a teacher and interior decorator, was offered the position as an activity
director by her brother, a nursing home administrator. With her strong background in art
and teaching, and her love of music, he knew she would make an outstanding activity
director, a job she did with great expertise and enthusiasm for approximately twenty years.
Having no experience in nursing homes, Madge recognized the need for activity directors
to have more education in order to do their jobs effectively. Because there was a lack of
information on activities as a profession, she helped organize ATA, which led to IAPA, and
eventually NAAP. She was instrumental in establishing NCCAP and served as the first
reviewer for professional certification. Madge was a true visionary in the field of activities
and her influence is still felt more than thirty years later.
The Gayle Allen-Burket Memorial Scholarship pays the cost for one of the following:
registration to the IAPA conference; activity supplies and/or resources at a cost
determined by the ATA board; or complimentary 2006-2007 ATA member package, which
includes September Seminar registration, 2006-2007 ATA membership, and registration
for the ATA Activity Assistants’ Workshop.
Gayle began her career as an activity assistant. Throughout her career, she stressed the
importance of activity assistants taking advantage of educational opportunities available to
them. She was a mentor to many activity professionals and a nationally known educator in
the field of activities. As a leader of ATA and IAPA, she encouraged both organizations to
offer continuing education geared toward activity assistants in the field. With her
encouragement and help many activity assistants have gone on to become activity
directors, consultants, and leaders in the profession.
The Cindy Gearring Memorial Scholarship is a one-year membership to ATA.
Cindy was a long-time member of ATA. She worked in activities with the elderly, mentally
ill, and developmentally disabled populations. Cindy gave herself to her profession, was
always willing to help others, and was a mentor to members of ATA. As a long-time
member of the executive board, Cindy worked tirelessly on many projects and always
supported all of the association’s efforts.
The Susan Quattrochi-Tubin Fellowship pays the cost of tuition for an ATA member to
take the Activity Director’s Basic Course.
Susan teaches the Activity Director’s Basic Course at Oakton Community College and has
been a leader in the field of activities for over twenty-five years. Her enthusiasm for the
work she does is truly inspirational. She has presented workshops on all subjects
pertaining to activities and written many articles for professional journals. She is an
inspiration and mentor to many in her chosen profession.
The Esther Davis Award was developed by the ATA board to recognize the support of
the activity profession by someone outside the field. ATA presented this award for the first
time in 2001 to a person who exhibited outstanding commitment to enhancing the activity
profession and the residents’ quality of life through the provision of quality activity
programming.
This award is named in honor of Esther Davis, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist and mentor to many activity professionals. Esther began her career as an
activity assistant and later became a consultant. She left the activity profession to work
for a large healthcare provider and continues to lobby for and support the profession.
Esther is best known as an educator, providing educational programs and workshops
across Illinois. She has written many professional articles and produced several books in
cooperation with other authors.
Criteria:
1. Actively support and be involved in projects that further the
activity profession, activity programs, and quality of life for the residents.
2. Make a visible contribution to the activity profession through his/her leadership example.
3. Demonstrate support for continuing education and skill development of activity
professionals at all levels of employment and experience.
Scholarship and Nomination Forms
Madge Schweinsberg Memorial Scholarship
Gayle Allen-Burket Memorial Scholarship
Cindy Gearring Memorial Scholarship
Susan Quattrochi-Tubin Fellowship
Esther Davis Award
