ADEA/ADEAGies Foundation Drs. Connie L. and Richard R. Drisko Scholar in the ADEA Leadership Institute

Purpose

Through a generous commitment made by Dr. Connie L. Drisko to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and the ADEAGies Foundation, ADEA has established the ADEA/ADEAGies Foundation Drs. Connie L. and Richard R. Drisko Scholar in the ADEA Leadership Institute scholarship.

Connie L. Drisko, D.D.S., was a well-known and highly respected dental educator, researcher and administrator. She held many leadership positions in her distinguished career, including serving as Chairman and Professor of the Department of Periodontology, Endodontics and Dental Hygiene and Associate Dean of the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

From 2003 to 2013 she was Dean and Merritt Professor of the Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine. A diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, she served both as Director and Chairperson of this dental specialty board. In 2011, Dr. Drisko became a Trustee of the ADEAGies Foundation and a member of the American Dental Association’s Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. In her last few years as Dean of the Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine, she led the effort to garner support for and raise funds from the public and private sectors to plan, construct and open a new state-of-the-art building for the dental school.

The Drisko scholarship provides an annual opportunity for a mid-career dental school faculty member who has shown evidence of leadership potential and has been accepted into the ADEA Leadership Institute.

Overview

The Drisko Scholar will receive a $10,000 award to be used for tuition and fees for participation in the ADEA Leadership Institute, with the goal of preparing the recipient to make an impact on dental education as a member of an academic dental institution’s faculty or administration.

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant must:

• Be an ADEA Individual Member.
• Be a full-time faculty member of an ADEA Member Institution.
• Demonstrate recognizable leadership potential.
• Be accepted into the ADEA Leadership Institute.
• Your application to this scholarship will use the information in your ADEA profile. Please ensure your profile is updated by going to adea.org/myadea.
• All ADEA program participants or scholarship recipients will be required to agree to comply with the ADEA Code of Conduct for Meetings, Conferences, Events and Virtual Communities, which is available on the ADEA website.

Application Process Checklist

Using the ADEA online application process, applicants must submit an application by Sept. 15, 2025 for the ADEA Leadership Institute and indicate an interest in being selected as the ADEA/ADEAGies Foundation Drs. Connie L. and Richard R. Drisko Scholar in the ADEA Leadership Institute.

The ADEA Leadership Institute application requires the following:

1. Two letters of recommendation from professional colleagues.
2. A signed letter of recommendation from the dean of the applicant’s dental school stating how the applicant’s participation will benefit the applicant and institution.
3. A current curriculum vitae.

The dean of the applicant’s dental school agrees to pay the fellow’s full salary and benefits during the scholarship year and to support the fellow’s travel and personal expenses associated with participation in the ADEA Leadership Institute, including airfare, ground transportation, lodging and meals.

De-identified applicant information will be used to improve scholarships at ADEA and may be published. Identified information (e.g., biographies) of successful winners will be published on the ADEA website, shared with your home institution, and may be used in ADEA promotional material.

By applying to this scholarship, you agree that you have read and understand how your information could be used.

Application Deadline

All application materials must be received by Sept. 15, 2025.

Notification Date and Award Announcement

Scholarship recipients and applicants not receiving awards will be notified by Dec. 5, 2025.

Awards will be announced during the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition, March 21–24, 2026, in Montréal, Canada.