Cochlear Awards College Scholarships to Eight Students Who Have Overcome Hearing Loss and Achieved Academic and Personal Success

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announced today the winners of the 13th annual Graeme Clark and the fourth annual Anders Tjellstrom Scholarships. The scholarships, named after two pioneers of the hearing implant industry, recognize Cochlear™ Nucleus® Implant and Baha® System recipients who demonstrate leadership and humanity, as well as exemplary academics.

"We are extremely proud to honor these outstanding young people who have shown perseverance and leadership, while benefiting from Cochlear's state-of-the-art technologies," said Chris Smith, President of Cochlear Americas. "These students represent the leaders of tomorrow, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for each and every one of them."

Five students were awarded Graeme Clark Scholarships: Grace Mariette Agolia (Massapequa, New York), a sophomore at University of Notre Dame; Julia Filloon (Tallahassee, Florida), a freshman at Elon University; Isaiah Grafe (Rochester Minnesota), a freshman at Rochester Institute of Technology; Lennon Radcliffe (Louisville, Kentucky), a freshman at University of Louisville; and Brooke Shinaberry (Park City, Utah), a graduate student at University of Utah. Three students were named Anders Tjellstrom Scholarship recipients: Storm Harvey (Decatur, Georgia), a freshman at Agnes Scott College; Sarah Ellen Johnson (Urbana, Illinois), a graduate student at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign; and Camille Masino (Stevenson Ranch, California), a sophomore at Brigham Young University-Provo, Utah.

"I am thankful every day for my cochlear implants and what the gift of hearing has helped me to achieve," said Graeme Clark Scholarship winner Isaiah Grafe. "I graduated with honors, while taking honor level and college courses, along with being involved with community service. Not a day goes by that I don't appreciate the miracle of being able to hear the sounds of joy, laughter and love in the voices of my family and friends. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Clark and Cochlear for giving me this remarkable gift."

The winners will be formally recognized during Cochlear Celebration in Orlando, Florida on February 14, 2015. Attended by more than 1,000 guests, Celebration is a three-day event hosted by Cochlear to provide Nucleus and Baha System recipients and their families the opportunity to learn and network with others who have had similar experiences, in a fun, relaxing environment.

About the Scholarships
The Graeme Clark Scholarship is named after the inventor and pioneer of the multichannel cochlear implant. The Anders Tjellstrom Scholarship is named after the research physician at the Department of Otolaryngology at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden who collaborated with Per-Ingvar Branemark, a pioneer in his field, to treat the first patient with a Baha device.

A total of $64,000 in scholarship funds will be awarded this year. Each of the eight students will receive $2,000 per year for up to four years at an accredited college or university, for a total of $8,000 per student. Since 2002, Cochlear has awarded $504,000 to 72 college students.

More than 150 applications were received and reviewed by an esteemed panel of judges, which include: Michael E. Hoffer, M.D., University of Miami; David Kelsall, M.D., Rocky Mountain Ear Center, P.C.; and Allison Biever, Au.D., CCC-A, Rocky Mountain Ear Center, P.C..

For more information about the scholarships, visit www.Cochlear.com/US/Scholarship.

About Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)
Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. The company has a global workforce of 2,700 people and invests more than AUS$100 million a year in research and development. Products include hearing systems for cochlear, bone conduction and acoustic implants.

Over 350,000 people of all ages, across more than 100 countries, now hear because of Cochlear.

www.cochlear.com

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SOURCE Cochlear Limited

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http://www.Cochlear.com/US