Seize Your Future

Seize Your Future advances educational opportunity for people living with epilepsy through a focused scholarship program for higher education and skilled-trades training in the United States. The foundation centers its work on students who have an epilepsy diagnosis and are enrolled in, or accepted to, an accredited college, university, or vocational or trade program. Its mission links education with empowerment, using direct financial support to help recipients continue their studies and build long-term independence. The organization traces its origin to founder Niomi Ndirangu, identified as a Kansas native whose own experience with epilepsy shaped the foundation’s purpose. That origin story gives the organization a clear constituency and a defined area of service: students navigating epilepsy while pursuing postsecondary education. Seize Your Future pairs that focus with structured application requirements that emphasize both academic commitment and personal reflection. Applicants must be in good academic standing, submit at least one recommendation from a medical or educational professional with direct knowledge of their condition, and complete a typed 500–700 word essay or a 3–5 minute video essay responding to the prompt, “How has epilepsy shaped your goals, dreams or advocacy?” Its scholarship cycle operates on a recurring academic calendar. For the fall semester, applications open October 1 and close February 1, with awards announced May 1. For the spring semester, applications open June 1 and close September 1, with announcements on December 1. The application page lists a deadline of 02/01/2026 and an award amount of $1000. Seize Your Future also states a nondiscrimination commitment and reserves scholarship decisions to its selection committee, underscoring a formal, mission-driven approach to supporting students with epilepsy.