We encourage people to get involved and deepen their connection to the birth center movement by introducing interested students and seasoned midwives to the many resources of the American Association of Birth Centers, by sponsoring scholarships to AABC workshops and conferences.
As midwives and parents, we are aware that none of us have arrived in this world without assistance, and the same is true of the birth center approach which has emerged from its infancy and grown into a thriving movement thanks to the tireless effort of hundreds of un-named activists. A few of these heroes of the birth center movement are so recognized that scholarships and awards have been named in their honor.
The board of trustees of the AABC Foundation is very aware of the trust placed in their hands to honor the memory of Amy Ellen Polk and Lisa Ross. The scholarships offered in their memory continue to spread the positive effects of the movement for better birth.
Scholarships
Amy Ellen Polk Memorial Scholarship
The Amy Ellen Polk Memorial Scholarship was created to carry forward the spirit and passion of Amy Ellen Polk—a devoted wife, loving mother of two, accomplished transportation engineer, and a tireless advocate for birth center care in her Takoma Park, Maryland community. This annual scholarship opens doors for those dreaming of starting a birth center by covering tuition for the American Association of Birth Centers’ How to Start a Birth Center Workshop. It helps ensure that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of community-based, compassionate maternity care. For recipients attending the in-person workshop, held this year in Portland, Oregon, an additional $500 is provided to help with travel costs. The dedicated support of our donors helps turn bold dreams into real places of healing, care, and dignity for pregnant people.
Lisa Ross Memorial Scholarship
The Lisa Ross Memorial Scholarship honors the legacy of Lisa Ross, a visionary and early pioneer in the birth center movement whose dedication helped shape the future of community-based maternity care. Since 2004, this scholarship has supported midwives, birth center administrators, and midwifery students with a passion for birth center practice by providing registration to the AABC Birth Institute— an incredible annual gathering of birth center professionals— and a $500 stipend to help with travel and lodging. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the scholarship continues to nurture the next generation of leaders in birth center care, helping them connect, learn, and grow in a vibrant community committed to safe, respectful, and family-centered birth.
Support the next generation of midwives and honor the legacy of birth center pioneers by donating to scholarships that open doors to AABC workshops, conferences, and a lifelong connection to the birth center movement.