One $2,500 award to a first-year genetic counseling student enrolled and in good standing in a master's programme accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. Named for Lauren Ryan, a certified genetic counselor whose work with NSGC focused on widening access to the profession, the award asks applicants to self-identify as meeting at least one of four criteria: a member of an underrepresented group within genetic counseling, an individual with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a first-generation graduate student, or someone from a low-income background at 150 per cent of the applicable federal poverty guidelines. The 2026 cycle closed on April 27.