Dr. Ethel E. Johnson & Dr. Thomas D Berlin Memorial Scholarships

The Florida Respiratory Care Foundation (FRCF) is honored to present scholarships dedicated to two exceptional leaders in respiratory care: Dr. Ethel E. Johnson and Dr. Thomas D. Berlin.

Honoring Dr. Ethel E. Johnson

Dr. Ethel E. Johnson was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the Florida Board of Respiratory Care (BORC) in 1999, serving three consecutive terms until 2006. During her tenure, she served as Community Relations Liaison and as a member of the Probable Cause Panel, advocating tirelessly for consumer voices.

Even after being diagnosed with ALS, Dr. Johnson declared she would always be a voice for patients. She also contributed to youth advocacy through the State Tobacco Free Florida Coalition and the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Advisory Committee, helping drive a significant decrease in teen smoking.

As an educator in Miami-Dade County, Dr. Johnson left a legacy of laughter, mentorship, and passion for investing in future generations.

Honoring Dr. Thomas D. Berlin

Dr. Thomas(Tom) D. Berlin was a highly decorated clinician, professional, and leader who revolutionized the respiratory care profession both locally and nationally.

He served as FSRC Board Member and President, AARC Board Member and Director-at-Large, and authored multiple AARC publications that shaped the profession’s visibility and value. He co-founded the Central Florida Asthma Consortium and the Open Airways for Schools Program, and for more than 40 years at AdventHealth, mentored and developed over 600 respiratory therapists in Central Florida.

Dr. Berlin was also a tireless advocate for advancing respiratory therapists’ education and expanding their role in patient care, leaving a legacy of growth and innovation.

Scholarship Overview

In memory of Dr. Ethel E. Johnson and Dr. Thomas D. Berlin, the Florida Respiratory Care Foundation will award up to four (4) annual scholarships to Respiratory Care students at various levels of education. Recipients will be selected based on their demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of respiratory care and public health.

Award Details

Each scholarship recipient will receive:

• $500 award

• Free one-year membership to the AARC/FSRC post-graduation

• Invitation to the annual Sunshine Seminar to be recognized and receive their award

Application Requirements & Deadlines

The application process is open now and will close on January 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM (ET).

Eligibility criteria, application steps, and required materials are listed below:

Scholarships Available:

• Respiratory Care AS students – (2) $500 scholarships awarded
• Respiratory Care advanced degree students (BS or MS) – (2) $500 scholarships awarded

Scholarship Criteria: 

• Non-Tobacco User
• Be currently enrolled in a Florida Respiratory Care Program (AS, BS, or MS)
• Have completed at least 1 semester of Respiratory Care Courses
• Be an active member of the AARC/FSRC
• Complete application and upload all required documents
• Have school fill out the Respiratory Care Program Verification form and submit to the FSRC

Please follow the below steps to apply:

Step 1: Before applying, you will need to complete the following documents for uploading into the application:
     a. Write a personal statement with the following requirements: (required)
              i. Top of page – “Personal Statement” and Applicant Name
             ii. 150-200 words describing: 
               1. Yourself and your background 
               2. Reason for choosing Respiratory Care 
            iii. Formatting of paper
               1. 1” margins 
               2. Times New Roman 
               3. 12 pt. font size 
               4. Double-spaced
               5. Correct Spelling and Grammar
           iv. Save the document as Personal Statement and Applicant Name in .pdf format
               1. Example: Personal Statement Paul Jones.pdf
     b. Write an Essay with the following requirements: (required)
             i. Cover Page 
                1. Title “FSRC Scholarship Essay”  
                2. Applicant name
            ii. 250-500 words describing the following:
               1. Academic Success and/or Challenges in school 
               2. Community service while in school 
               3. Collaboration experience with fellow students, instructors, healthcare team at facilities, and/or students of other professions 
               4. Career goals (where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?)  
           iii. Formatting of paper
               1. 1” margins 
               2. Times new Roman 
               3. 12 pt. Font size 
               4. Double-spaced 
               5. Spelling and Grammar
          iv. Save the document as FSRC Scholarship Essay and Applicant Name in .pdf format
               1. Example: FSRC Scholarship Essay Paul Jones.pdf
     c. Community Service document (if applicable)
            i. Create a document titled Community Service and your name
           ii. Submit community service hours completed while in the Respiratory Care program and share what you have learned or gained from these experiences
          iii. Include the community events and number of hours completed
          iv. Save the document as Community Service and Applicant Name in .pdf format
                1. Example: Community Service Paul Jones.pdf
     d. Honors and/or Awards (if applicable)
            i. Create a document titled Honors/Awards and your name
           ii. This document should show any honors or awards you have received while in your respiratory care program including dates or semesters received
          iii. Save the document as Honors/Awards and Applicant Name in .pdf format
                1. Example: Honors/Awards Paul Jones.pdf
     e. Letter of Recommendation (required)
            i. Submit a letter of recommendation from anyone who can attest to your dedication to your schooling and the profession of Respiratory Care
                 1. They should include who they are and how they know you
           ii. Please note this letter may not be from your Program Manager or Director of Clinical Education

Step 2: You may view the Scoring Rubric for Scholarship Application here.

Step 3:  Once you have completed and collected the required documents, complete your application and upload your documents.  
     a. Please make sure the documents are saved as .pdf format when uploading.

Step 4: Respiratory Care Program Verification (required)
     a. Click here to download the program verification form.
     b. Ask your Program Manager and/or Director of Clinical Education if you can send them the form to complete and submit on your behalf for the scholarship
     c. The Program Manager or Director of Clinical Education will then complete and submit the form to [email protected]
           i. Please instruct the PM/DCE to save the document with the applicant’s name and submit to the FSRC from their school email address

Step 4: Submit Completed Application  
     a. Click here to enter FSRC portal and submit your application.

**Please note that if you don't have an existing access, a username and password will need to be created in order to submit.**

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