Are you a woman who’s always been interested in the dive industry? The Abingdon Foundation is offering one lucky winner a free trip to this year’s DEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The applicant must be 18-plus years old and can live anywhere in the world.
The criteria are simple: The applicant chooses the format for her application. There have been stickers designed, essays written, videos shot, and someone even translated the Abington Company’s website into Spanish! The one that exhibits the most passion goes. Creativity and multiple submissions are encouraged.
As the foundation says:
“What would you do for the Abingdon Foundation that will prove to us that you are the one we should bring with us? You want the Abingdon Foundation to support you by flying you out, putting you up in a hotel, buying your registration to the conference; we want you to support us in return! Use your natural talents and skills to make your application stand out. When this sponsorship was awarded by The Abingdon Co., past winners have designed a sticker that is now included with every product – it has become a key branding staple. Another past winner translated The Abingdon Co.’s website into Spanish so that more people in their country could learn about The Abingdon Co. in their native language. These are the types of applications we love. You have a talent that makes you shine. What is that talent or skill that you possess that you can use to support the Abingdon Foundation?”
Foundation President Abingdon Mullin says:
“The SCUBA industry is calling out for more divers every day. Though historically, diving is male dominated, women are closing the gap. There are many opportunities in the world of SCUBA beyond getting your open water certification, and we want to show women just what they can accomplish in the SCUBA Dive Industry. If exposed to the SCUBA industry as a viable career or hobby, they might pursue the field. Why not give her that exposure?”
In what was praised as the beginning of a movement to bring opportunities to women in industries which normally do not target them, the Abingdon Foundation set a precedent for its sponsorship program earlier this year in the helicopter industry by flying out an applicant to the Heli-Expo Convention in Las Vegas in February. The applicant, Holley Gardel, was provided an insight to the industry along with introductions to companies, individuals, and opportunities that the helicopter industry could help with her ambitions.
The intent is to offer the same opportunity to a woman who wants to explore scuba diving as a career or hobby, but may not know where to start.
Applications should be sent to hello@abingdonfoundation.org or snail-mailed to Abingdon Foundation, 4224 West Charleston Blvd., Suite 201, Las Vegas, NV 89102.
The application deadline is September 14th, 2018. The foundation will announce the winner for the sponsorship 14 days after the due date. This sponsorship is awarded internationally and there are no pre-requisites like dive certifications, resumes, or accomplishments that are required.
For more info, check out the foundation’s website at abingdonfoundation.org.
