The Live Like Lou Foundation’s Iron Horse Scholarships support dependents of individuals with ALS with financial grants for their post-secondary educational goals before or within five years of their loved one’s death from ALS.
In honor of Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive Major League Baseball games played, Iron Horse Scholarships provide up to $2,130/semester for up to four years (or eight semesters).
While there are no age or GPA requirements, the Live Like Lou Iron Horse Scholarship Selection Committee will give preference to applicants who demonstrate financial need and academic promise. At least one award per year will be reserved for students pursuing a career in a field that will benefit the ALS community. Awardees are expected to serve as ambassadors for Live Like Lou and the ALS community during their award period (approximately ten hours per year).
Finalists not selected for an Iron Horse Scholarship may be awarded one-time support.
An application does not guarantee an award or renewal, and all scholarship payments are made directly to a student’s institution of higher education.
Through fundraising, service, and awareness efforts, Phi Delta Theta’s membership is committed to supporting the fight against ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in honor of Phi Delta Theta member and baseball great, Lou Gehrig.
Since 1955, Phi Delta Theta has annually presented the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award to the Major League Baseball Player who best exemplifies the spirit and character of Lou Gehrig, both on and off the field. The award, located at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, was created to acknowledge an individual player’s outstanding commitment to both his community and philanthropy.
Iron Phi was developed in 2010 to strengthen both Phi Delta Theta and its impact on the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease. Through the fundraising efforts of participants on the way to achieving personal athletic goals, Iron Phi is a community of philanthropists that focuses on wellness for a cause.
In 2017, Phi Delta Theta took a significant step to broaden its reach and deepen its impact on the fight against ALS when it launched the Live Like Lou Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit entity with a national scope. Live Like Lou’s mission is to supporting families affected by ALS, fund ALS research to find treatments or cures for Lou Gehrig’s disease, and honor Lou Gehrig’s legacy.
Phi Delta Theta, in partnership with the Live Like Lou Foundation, created the Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team to annually recognize the giving character and community impact of collegiate baseball players.