The Paul & Kristina Cardall Family Scholarship for Students Affected by Congenital Disease was established by Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) distinguished alumnus, Paul Cardall. Cardall was born with a complex congenital heart defect and received a heart transplant in 2009.
The costs associated with a chronic illness are extremely high. The Paul Cardall Family Foundationwishes to help those students who have been affected by, or whose children have been affected by, congenital heart disease (CHD), spina bifida, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, fetal alcohol syndrome, and those who have had an organ transplant, to obtain an education at SLCC. “Because of extensive medical bills, not everyone with congenital heart disease can afford college. That is why our family decided to establish this scholarship at SLCC,” comments Kristina Cardall. Paul Cardall adds, “CHD didn’t stop me from pursuing an education and following my dreams. I don’t want it to stand in the way of others following theirs.”
This scholarship is available to residents of the Rocky Mountain region. Applicants must be degree or certificate-seeking students at Salt Lake Community College, and be enrolled in at least 9, but not more than 18, credit hours each semester. Successful applicants will have demonstrated courage and character in their response to the challenge of chronic illness. The Paul & Kristina Cardall Family Scholarship for Students Affected by Congenital Disease will provide funding that can be used for tuition, fees and books. The application process is done online and can be found here.
A native of Utah, Paul Cardall is currently one of America’s most successful recording artists. A gifted pianist and prolific composer, Paul has garnered six consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard charts. With more than 2 BILLION lifetime digital streams, he currently averages more than 25 million listeners who live in more than 150 countries. In addition to his work as an artist, Paul founded Stone Angel Music, an award-winning instrumental record label with more than 350 songs in its catalog. Born with a serious congenital heart defect, Paul never let illness keep him from pursuing excellence. Now, nearly ten years a heart transplant survivor, he is a prolific philanthropist, putting his extensive resources of time and visibility toward many causes ranging from his position on the Board of Governors for Operation Underground Railroad, an organization which rescues children from human-trafficking, to education scholarships and congenital heart disease research.