Yep, you read that right: you can now get paid to study cannabis! Cannatech healthcare company Veriheal just announced a $20,000 Innovation in Cannabis scholarship for students pursuing cannabis degrees.
The scholarship first launched in 2020, but last year only gave out $10,000 in scholarship awards. This year, it has been doubled to offer 20 $1,000 scholarships to those who qualify.
“With this scholarship fund, we’re putting $20,000 directly into the hands of a new generation of innovators who will help shape the future of our industry,” said Veriheal co-founder and co-CEO Joshua Green. “The cannabis category is growing at an extraordinary rate, and there are many complex problems that must be solved across all sectors, from finance and technology to science and education. At Veriheal, we’re fortunate to be in the position to support budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life and bring diverse, fresh perspectives to the cannabis field.”
How To Apply
To qualify for the scholarship, high school seniors and college students must submit a 1,000+-word essay explaining how they plan to improve the cannabis industry. Winners will be chosen based on these essays.
All majors and concentrations of study are eligible for this scholarship, and the deadline to apply is July 30 at 5 p.m. EST. All students passionate about cannabis are encouraged to apply.
“At Veriheal, education and diversity are at the center of our core values, yet we know how expensive obtaining a college degree can be — particularly in the midst of a global pandemic,” said co-founder and co-CEO Samuel Adetunji. “We were overwhelmed by the number of applicants we received for the ten awards we offered in 2020, so we’re excited to double that number in 2021 and offer scholarships to 20 promising students across a range of disciplines, backgrounds, and areas of study.”
“Veriheal has experienced triple-digit growth over the past year, scaling to become the nation’s number one platform for cannabis education and medical marijuana card services. As a Black-owned and operated business, we’re making it our priority to pay it forward and invest in the future leaders of cannabis who will break barriers and pave the way for innovation in this burgeoning industry.”
In 2020, one of the recipients of the award was Maha Haq. She has now received a Master of Science in Pharmacological Sciences: Medical Sciences & Therapeutics from the University of Maryland’s School of Pharmacy. The school is pioneering the field of cannabis studies, and through her time there and at UCLA for undergrad, Haq founded Cannaclub, a group focused on advocacy and education for the next generation of cannabis users. The organization now has over 5,500 members across multiple universities.
Now, Haq is CEO of business development for CREA research firm, a group that works with psychoactive drugs, psychedelics, and entheogens. Partially thanks to receiving this scholarship, Haq and others in her generation will be able to pioneer more inclusivity and innovation in the cannabis realm.