By Jill Parker Landsman
The Christine Phipps Family Foundation is proud to announce its commitment to awarding a second round of $1,000 travel scholarships, promised for a total of five years to help students and members attend the NCRA Conference & Expo. This year’s Conference will take place July 24-26 in Minneapolis, Minn. Ten scholarship recipients will be selected based on financial need and other situational constraints.
NCRF Chair Doug Friend, FAPR, RDR, CRR (Ret.), of Vancouver, Wash., emphasized the significance of this partnership.
“NCRF is honored to once again collaborate with the Christine Phipps Family Foundation to award these 10 scholarships. This is an incredible opportunity for students and now members to rub elbows with stenography’s finest. We are deeply grateful to Christine for making these awards possible.”
Attending these Conferences in my early years as a court reporter shaped me in ways no other experience could. If these awardees find the same value, I hope they will one day pay it forward.
Christine Phipps, RPR
The nonprofit’s founder, Christine Phipps, RPR, is the former owner of Phipps Reporting, based in West Palm Beach, Fla., and served as NCRA President from 2019-2020. Reflecting on the impact of attending NCRA Conferences early in her career, she shared: “It is my pleasure to provide the opportunity for 10 students or NCRA members to attend the 2025 NCRA Conference & Expo. Attending these Conferences in my early years as a court reporter shaped me in ways no other experience could. If these awardees find the same value, I hope they will one day pay it forward.”
Determination played a key role in Phipps’ journey. A single mother of two when she became a court reporter in 1994, she was determined to create a better life for her family.
She recalled: “Times were tough. In the early days, the only way to stay connected with peers was through networking. Over time, court reporting opened so many doors for me. Attending the NCRA Conference was a game changer. It was inspiring to be surrounded by what I call ‘the Olympians’ of our profession.”
Phipps established this scholarship to give other aspiring professionals the opportunity to attend the Conference — without the financial barriers she once faced.
Eligibility & Application Process
Students: To apply, student applicants must:
- Be an NCRA student member in good standing
- Fill out the application
- Submit instructor verification of passing a 180 wpm skills test
Those students not enrolled in a formal court reporting program may verify their speed through one of the following:
- One passed RSRJ skills test;
- One passed RPRL skills test;
- Or one passed test on EV360 or Realtime Coach
Students are eligible even if they have already applied for (and received) a 2025 NCRA Student Conference registration through the NCRF or Student/Teacher Committee drawings.
Members: NCRA member applicants must fill out the application, skip the student section, and answer the questions noted.
How to Apply
Download and complete your application, then submit it via email to ncrfoundation@ncra.org by Thursday, May 8, at 5 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter when the 10 finalists are selected.
For more information, contact Jill Parker Landsman, Foundation Manager, at jlandsman@ncra.org.
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