Cochlear Americas Announces 2008 Graeme Clark Scholarship Winners

    DENVER, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochlear Americas, the world leader in
 advanced hearing solutions, today announced the winners of the 2008 Graeme
 Clark Scholarship awards. Five students have been selected to receive up to
 $38,000 of financial assistance toward an accredited university. The Graeme
 Clark Cochlear Scholarship Foundation was launched in 2002 to recognize the
 remarkable achievements of individuals who also happen to have a Nucleus
 cochlear implant -- a small electronic device that can restore a sense of
 hearing to someone who is deaf.
 
     "This year's scholarship winners were selected from an inspirational
 pool of applicants who have benefited through use of their cochlear
 implants," said Chris Smith, President, Cochlear Americas. "We believe that
 education empowers people to be more independent and to more fully
 participate in the economic and social benefits of our society and are
 happy to be able to provide assistance to such intelligent and successful
 young adults as they move into the next chapter of their lives."
 
 

     The five scholarship winners include:
 
     -- Shoshana Cohn (West Hartford, CT), a freshman at Bowdoin College. Cohn
        was diagnosed with hearing loss at 8 months and received a Nucleus
        cochlear implant in her right ear at age 7 and in her left ear at age
        15.
     -- Francisco Raymond Lara (Phoenix, AZ), a sophomore at the National
        Technical Institute for the Deaf. Lara has suffered from hearing loss
        since age 3 and received a Nucleus cochlear implant at age 14.
     -- Michael Noble (Dallas, TX), a freshman at Southern Methodist University.
        Noble was born deaf and received a Nucleus cochlear implant at age 2.
     -- Jentry Taylor (Oklahoma City, OK), a freshman at William Jewell College.
        Taylor was born with profound hearing loss and received a Nucleus
        cochlear implant at age 15.
     -- Matthew Wetmore (Macomb, IL), a freshman at Illinois State University.
        Wetmore was born deaf and received a Nucleus cochlear implant at age 8.
 
     For 2008, Cochlear Americas received 95 scholarship applications from
 students in 24 states across the U.S. and three provinces in Canada.
 Eligible students must have a Nucleus cochlear implant and must be entering
 their first year of college or enrolled in an accredited university.
 Selection criteria include academic performance, letters of recommendation,
 awards and activities, and a short personal essay describing academic
 inspiration and other interests. Brief biographies of the scholarship
 winners may be found by visiting Cochlear Americas,
 http://www.cochlearamericas.com.
 
     About the Graeme Clark Cochlear Scholarship Foundation
 
     The Foundation was established in 2002 in honor of Professor Graeme
 Clark, Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne, for his
 lifelong commitment to finding a solution for the hearing impaired and his
 pioneering work in the field of cochlear implant technology. Professor
 Clark invented the world's first multichannel cochlear implant over 20
 years ago. Awarded by Cochlear, this scholarship consists of financial
 assistance towards a college degree at an accredited university. The award
 is paid in yearly installments upon the completion of each year of study.
 Each award is in the amount of $2,000 per year for up to a total of four
 years. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement and a
 demonstrated commitment to the Cochlear ideals of leadership and humanity.
 For more information about the Graeme Clark Cochlear Scholarship
 Foundation, call 800/458-4999 (Voice) or 800/483-3123 (TTY), or visit the
 Web site at http://www.cochlear.com.
 
     About Cochlear Americas
 
     Since launching the world's first cochlear implant system more than 25
 years ago, Cochlear Limited and its US headquarters, Cochlear Americas,
 have brought the miracle of sound to more than 130,000 hearing-impaired
 individuals across the globe. Cochlear's state-of-the-art technologies,
 based on extensive research and development at preeminent academic
 institutions, restore the ability to hear sound and understand
 speech-enhancing both learning capabilities and quality of life for those
 with severe to profound hearing loss. Cochlear has remained the market
 leader in its field thanks to an unwavering commitment to innovation,
 reliability and customer support. Numerous awards, as well as published
 scientific data, attest to Cochlear's outstanding product line and
 unsurpassed performance. Cochlear's promise "Hear now. And Always" reflects
 their philosophy of a lifetime commitment to those individuals who choose
 their product. For more information about Cochlear's products, call the
 Cochlear Nucleus Hotline at 800/458-4999 (Voice) or 800/483-3123 (TTY) or
 visit the website at http://www.cochlear.com
 
 
 

SOURCE Cochlear Americas