STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delivering on its commitment to assist military veterans in taking a significant academic step forward in life after service, the national nonprofit SoldierStrong today announced the recipients of its annual scholarship initiative, SoldierScholar.
"SoldierStrong is an organization that has long prided itself on adapting to meet the ever-evolving needs of U.S. military veterans over the past fifteen years,” said SoldierStrong co-founder and chairman Dr. Chris Meek. "In 2012, as troops returned from service abroad, we realized the opportunity that access to higher education gave veterans in order to best transition to and thrive in civilian life and provide for themselves and their families. SoldierStrong is proud to award SoldierScholar recipients in an effort to prepare tomorrow's American leaders today.”
Since 2012, SoldierStrong has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships. Though the post-9/11 GI Bill has helped thousands of veterans with their post-secondary education, there are still funding gaps that can become insurmountable obstacles toward the completion of a degree. The cost of textbooks, classroom fees, transportation, technology, tutoring and a number of other essentials are among expenses that the GI Bill has historically not covered. These additional costs make obtaining a degree all the more difficult for many veterans who have responsibilities not typical of the average college student, such as working jobs and taking care of families. SoldierScholar was created to alleviate those additional financial burdens.
SoldierScholar scholarships are available to veterans at Syracuse University, Georgetown University and Old Dominion University who fought in the recent War on Terror, which includes Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Past SoldierScholar scholarship recipients have gone on to work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in civilian positions at the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Division of the U.S. Air Force, for various members of Congress and as policy advisors at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, among other esteemed professions. Recipients include:
Connor McNeil, Syracuse University - Master's Degree in International Relations
Connor McNeil is a graduate student at Syracuse University's Maxwell School, where he is pursuing a master's degree in international relations with a specialization in data analysis. Before entering Syracuse he received the national Army ROTC scholarship and enrolled at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. In 2021, he received a B.A. in history and government and was commissioned from the Clarkson ROTC program into the Vermont Army National Guard. He also graduated from the Middlebury College Language Institute's Portuguese Immersion Program. He has served as a scout platoon leader in Bravo Troop, 1-172 Cavalry and is currently Troop Executive Officer, in addition to attending the air assault school, the armor basic officer leadership course, basic military mountaineering course, and the rough terrain evacuation course. As an officer in a mountain warfare unit, Connor enjoys entangling his passion for hiking and skiing with military mountain operations. Through the graduate program at Maxwell, and with the assistance of programs like SoldierStrong, Connor hopes to continue a public service-oriented career in emergency management and response.
Kathleen Higgins, Old Dominion University - Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Kathleen Higgins joined the military right after high school. As a first-generation student, she was encouraged to take the military pathway by her mother and father - both Army veterans. In the Navy, Higgins worked as an aviation structural safety equipment mechanic on different F-18 models. Higgins left the Navy in 2020 after eight years of service. She took a position at Boeing before returning to school. It was an easy transition to the program at Old Dominion where Higgins is currently a mechanical engineering major with a focus on aerospace engineering. After she finishes her degree, Higgins hopes to obtain a position as an aerospace engineer.
Michelle Humphreys, Old Dominion University - Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering
Michelle Humphreys, a civil engineering major, grew up in a close-knit family in Passaic, New Jersey. Humphreys, the first in her family to pursue a STEM degree, joined the Navy right out of high school. She had already been thinking of joining the military when she met with a recruiter. Humphreys served as a nuclear electrician's mate aboard the USS George Washington. She transitioned into civilian life in 2020 after six years of service. After graduation, Humphreys hopes to find a meaningful engineering position.
On being selected as a SoldierScholar recipient, Connor McNeil said, "It is an incredible honor and represents the overwhelming support I have had from amazing individuals and organizations throughout my military and academic career. To me, support like this will compound the achievement of a master's degree and remind me of how special my experience at Syracuse was, thanks to the support of programs like SoldierScholar.”
About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong helps American patriots literally take their next steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help returning service men and women continue moving in the only direction they should know - forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes toward support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind veterans who have sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful. For more information, visit http://www.soldierstrong.org/
CONTACT: ERIC WOOLSON
515.681.3967
