Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Awards Record-Breaking $8.2 Million in Academic Scholarships to Over 2,360 Children of Marines
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ALEXANDRIA, VA, (August 7, 2019) The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation announced it will award a record-breaking $8.2 million in academic scholarships to more than 2,360 children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen for the upcoming 2019-20 academic year. This year’s announcement marks the highest amount of scholarship awards for recipients in the organization’s 57-year history.
Founded in 1962, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military children, awarding over 40,000 scholarships valued at more than $135 million. These awards will provide much-needed and -deserved access to education for the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen attending post-high school, undergraduate and career technical education programs in all 50 states.
“This year marks a significant milestone for the history of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation,” said Lieutenant General Robert Ruark, the organization’s President and CEO. “Our nation’s military families have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and this year, we are thrilled to extend our support even further to honor more of these families and help shape the Nation’s future leaders.”
The 2019-20 class of scholarship recipients will be celebrated during the Scholarship Foundation’s National Scholarship Announcement Ceremony at the Marine Barracks in Washington D.C, held each year to celebrate the achievements of a new class of scholars and honor the service of Marine families. Marine Corps Commandant General David H. Berger will be the Military Guest of Honor and the ceremony will be hosted by the 17th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Micheal P. Barrett. Attendees will hear from Marine parent Master Sergeant Jason Solis and his daughter Megan, a 2019-20 scholarship recipient.
“My dad has always emphasized the power and opportunities that come from getting an education,” said Solis. “With this scholarship, I have the opportunity to pursue my dreams while honoring my father’s Marine legacy.”
The Scholarship Foundation’s recipients are on the front lines of our nation’s future. With a 90% overall graduation rate, 50% of scholars representing first-generation college students, and over 45% enrolled in STEM and health science fields, the Foundation’s scholarship recipients continually outpace national performance averages in the classroom and beyond.
About the Scholarship Foundation: Established in 1962, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the Nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships for military children. Since its inception, the Scholarship Foundation has provided over 40,000 scholarships valued at more than $135 million to the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. For more information on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, please visit www.mcsf.org.