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Van L. Lawrence Fellowship

Van-Lawrence.jpgThe Van L. Lawrence Fellowship was created to honor Van L. Lawrence, M.D. for his outstanding contribution to voice, and particularly to recognize the importance of the interdisciplinary education he fostered among laryngologists and singing teachers. It is awarded jointly by The Voice Foundation and the Foundation Heritage Fund of the NATS Endowment. The Fellowship winner will be provided with the opportunity to attend the annual Symposium on Care of the Professional Voice and visit laryngologists, speech pathologists, voice scientists, and research centers associated with The Voice Foundation during the fellowship year, with resulting research to be considered for expedited publication in the Journal of Voice or Journal of Singing.

VAN L. LAWRENCE FELLOWSHIP for 2025
Deadline: November 15, 2024

The 2025 fellowship will be awarded at the next Annual Symposium - Care of the Professional Voice, May 28 - June 1, 2025, in Philadelphia.

Application instructions are listed below, and on The Voice Foundation website.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates for the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship must be members of National Association of Teachers of Singing and actively engaged in teaching. The Fellowship will be awarded to candidates who have demonstrated excellence in their professions as singing teachers, and who have shown interest in, and knowledge of, voice science. The Fellowship is intended to provide opportunities for the Fellow to become more thoroughly acquainted with practices, techniques, technology, and people involved in laryngology and voice science. It is hoped that the opportunities and contacts provided through the Fellowship experience will enhance the teacher's ability to do meaningful interdisciplinary research, and will encourage the teacher to apply appropriate voice science advances in the studio.

Award Amount

The amount of the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship award is determined annually by The Voice Foundation and the Foundation Heritage Fund of the NATS Endowment. In recent years it has been $2,000. The funds are to be used to defray expenses for the Fellowship winner to attend the annual Symposium on Care of the Professional Voice (tuition shall be waived). Following the Symposium, the Fellow will be provided with the opportunity to visit laryngologists, speech pathologists, voice scientists, and research centers associated with The Voice Foundation during the fellowship year. Specific locations and durations of stay will be arranged in accordance with the Fellow's interests and needs and the availability of the centers to be visited.

Following completion of the Fellowship experience, it is anticipated that the Fellow will have opportunities to consult with the scientists he or she has visited, and to apply his or her newly acquired knowledge in designing and executing a research project to help advance the field of voice teaching. The Voice Foundation will help provide review of the resulting paper and counseling regarding its improvement. When appropriate, the paper will be considered for expedited publication in the Journal of Voice or Journal of Singing.

Selection Process

The Van L. Lawrence Fellowship shall be awarded by the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and National Association of Teachers of Singing. The Fellowship Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Board of The Voice Foundation and the President of National Association of Teachers of Singing and shall include at least one representative from the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and one representative from National Association of Teachers of Singing. Additional members shall be appointed at the discretion of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and the President of National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Application Requirements

Fellowship applicants should write The Voice Foundation stating their desire to apply for a Van L. Lawrence Fellowship. The application letter should cover the following topics (as well as others which the applicant believes will strengthen his/her application, but please be as succinct as possible):

  • Current application of scientific knowledge in the studio;
  • The area of intended study and/or research project;
  • How the Fellowship and research project will benefit your teaching;
  • NATS chapter to which you belong;
  • Also attach a detailed curriculum vitae.

Members of NATS wishing to apply for the fellowship should write an electronic letter of intent to The Voice Foundation along with your CV — combined into one PDF document. Include the area and methods of your proposed study.
E-mail: 

The fellowship will be awarded at 54th Annual Symposium - Care of the Professional Voice, May 28 - June 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. 

If you have any questions, please contact The Voice Foundation office.

Past Van L. Lawrence Fellowship Recipients

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