ThanksUSA Offers $1.5 Million Scholarships for Children & Spouses of U.S. Military
MCLEAN, Va., April 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Children and spouses of our service men and women are competing for university, college and vocational school scholarships as of April 1st. The opportunity comes as ThanksUSA launches the 2018 application season for financial need-based, post-secondary scholarships for all services including the National Guard and Reserves. The national non-profit organization is dedicated to thanking U.S. troops through the gift of education. Applications will be accepted at www.ThanksUSA.org through May 15, 2018.
"ThanksUSA and its supporters recognize the enormous sacrifices of our military family members who don't wear the uniform but who serve alongside their military mates and parents," said Michele Stork, executive director of ThanksUSA. "The majority of our Armed Forces families live on only one income creating a profound financial burden in pursuing higher education and careers. Our scholarships and programs help provide them with educational and economic benefits that reflect the gratitude of all Americans."
The nation's more than half a million service members claim 1.1 million children and 700,000 spouses as dependents. The 500 scholarships are valued at $1.5 million.
U.S. corporations are also adopting ThanksUSA's Pathways for Patriots initiative that offers scholarship winners a career roadmap through mentoring, networking, internships and employment. The Pathways for Patriots talent pipeline is helping businesses fill the six million jobs going unfilled nationwide. Current job targets are in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); public service; healthcare; manufacturing; financial services; hospitality; and PR and Communications.
Scholarship recipient and Air Force spouse Haley Childress credits a ThanksUSA networking opportunity for her first job after graduating with an online Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration (Liberty University). She was employed by a Virginia health care company this year supporting their recruiting team.
"I had definitely thought about networking before but I wasn't sure where to start," says Haley who lives with her husband at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. "It's important to build a foundation of people that you know and make a good impression on them because that can take you places that you never expected. [This job] is more than I could ever have dreamed of coming out of college."
Leading ThanksUSA Pathways for Patriots supporters include:
- Centene Corporation, provider of high quality and culturally sensitive healthcare coverage and innovative solutions to the under-insured and uninsured in the U.S. and internationally;
- CVS, one of America's largest retail pharmacy and health care companies;
- Purdue University Global, a public university that operates almost exclusively online, opening the doors to higher education for working adults (Purdue University Global formalizes the acquisition of Kaplan University by Purdue University);
- Lockheed Martin, a global security and aerospace company;
- Smiths Group/Smiths Detection, the world's premiere manufacturer of sensors for detecting material threats to national security.
Since its inception in 2006, ThanksUSA has awarded more than 4,200 scholarships, totaling more than $13 million. Almost 2,000 applications are received annually, with families of the fallen and wounded given special consideration.
Additional support for ThanksUSA's Pathways for Patriots program and the education fund comes from donors including, Altria, Apex, the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Erick D. Hadar Family Foundation, KPMG, The Kovner Foundation, Legal & General America, Monster Energy, Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, Paladin Capital Group, Pershing Square Foundation, Red Cloud Food Services, Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, Rumsfeld Foundation, Strada Education Network, and others. In-kind support comes from American Airlines, CSRA, Edelman, Loews Hotels, Marriott Hotels, and Mayer Brown.
For applications, eligibility requirements and more information, please visit www.ThanksUSA.org.
About ThanksUSA
ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to "thank" the men and women of the United States armed forces. The organization provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships to the children and spouses of military personnel.
CONTACT:
Michele Stork
703-855-4108
[email protected]
SOURCE ThanksUSA
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