Kate O'Shea Memorial Scholarship — Blazing Star Herbal School

Kate O'Shea, Herbalism, Massachusetts, Blazing Star Herbal School, Tony(a) Lemos Arts

Kate O’Shea Memorial Scholarship

Thanks to a very generous annual donor for $500 in perpetuity, who prefers to remain anonymous, we are growing a scholarship fund! in the name of a past student and dear friend Kate O'Shea (graduate of 2014).

*if you prefer, you can mail checks to BSHS, PO Box 154, Ashfield MA 01330

Donate to the Fund

Applying for a Scholarship

Blazing Star Herbal School has a limited number of need-based partial scholarships available to low-income students who cannot otherwise afford BSHS tuition. The goal of the BSHS scholarship program is to increase the diversity of Western Herbal practice by offering partial scholarships to students who are from under-represented groups or communities, and who are committed to public and/or community service, to attend career classes at BSHS. (We especially encourage applications from persons from low-income and minority communities, single parents or grandparents raising minor children, persons providing eldercare, and persons with disabilities.)

All scholarships awarded are paid from a dedicated scholarship fund that is supported by donations.The number of partial scholarships and the amount of each award will depend on the yearly availability of funds.

Blazing Star Herbal School is dedicated to teaching traditional herbal medicine in a way that supports a more sustainable future for all living beings and shows respect for the integrity of nature. We offer a unique perspective on herbalism, weaving social, ecological and political aspects of health and healing through the study of medicinal herbs, ceremony and food practices. We inspire students to find their own healing path by creating a personal relationship with the natural world.

"My name is Kate O’Shea, Ph.D., and I have had the good fortune of taking both the beginner and intermediate programs in herbal plant medicine given by Tony(a) Lemos at the Blazing Star Herbal School in Ashfield, Massachusetts. Having been a professional working with folks recovering from cardiac surgeries and cardiac events in addition to being a teacher and a college professor, I feel as though I am very familiar with myriad social institutions that go about patient and student education in very limited and finite ways.

As a student in Blazing Star School, I feel as though, through study and numerous opportunities for practice, I was able to expand my worldview of learning, teaching, and healing, and bring my practices and skills to new levels. With superb leadership and expert guidance from Tonya Lemos, the class of apprentices grew into a warm, cohesive team supporting ourselves, each other, clients we were working with, and making contributions to healing the earth.

Through Tonya, I was also able connect to a wider group of herbalists and practitioners, nationally and internationally. For me, these experiences have been life changing. I highly recommend either apprenticeship to those who are looking to “shake things up” in their worlds, deepen their study of plants and healing while growing closer to interesting people in tight knit community. It is also for those who wish to expand their world views through healing practices and beliefs that enhance their lives one hundred percent!”