Foundation History
Founded in 1997 by the Association of Surgical Technologists, the Foundation for Surgical Technology offers academic scholarships for surgical technology students to cover the burdensome costs of education, missions scholarships for practicing surgical technologists who wish to give back, and military scholarships so those serving can attend AST's Surgical Technology Conference. The Foundation also administers the Constellation Awards, a program that recognizes surgical technology educators in various stages of their careers.
The Foundation for Surgical Technology is designated as a 501c3 organization, making contributions tax deductible.
Partnerships
In 2016 the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) joined the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) in jointly supporting and underwriting the Foundation's academic student scholarships. Recipients are determined by a combined board representing both organizations. This partnership has allowed the Foundation to increase the number of scholarships for surgical technology students it awards each year.
Awards History
Since 1999, the Foundation has awarded 422 scholarships for surgical technologist students totaling nearly $375,000.
| Number of Scholarships | Scholarship Amount Awarded | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 13 | $4,500 |
| 2000 | 11 | $4,200 |
| 2001 | 5 | $5,500 |
| 2002 | 7 | $7,250 |
| 2003 | 10 | $10,500 |
| 2004 | 11 | $8,500 |
| 2005 | 8 | $7,000 |
| 2006 | 15 | $14,000 |
| 2007 | 17 | $21,350 |
| 2008 | 18 | $19,500 |
| 2009 | 17 | $19,500 |
| 2010 | 23 | $28,750 |
| 2011 | 16 | $14,300 |
| 2012 | 21 | $14,985 |
| 2013 | 30 | $22,000 |
| 2014 | 18 | $12,500 |
| 2015 | 18 | $10,300 |
| 2016 | 24 | $18,500 |
| 2017 | 36 | $31,250 |
| 2018 | 34 | $36,500 |
| 2019 | 34 | $33,000 |
| 2020 | 36 | $30,900 |
| Total | 422 | $374,785 |