The AAPG Foundation’s Deana and Paul Strunk Military Veterans Scholarship Program recipients have been announced for 2018.
Eligible applicants include United States military service members and veterans who have been honorably discharged and who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in a geoscience program at an accredited college or university. The MVSP is designed to assist United States military service members and veterans as they transition into civilian careers in the geosciences from military service.
Eligible recipients can receive scholarship awards between $2,000-4,000 to fund educational expenses and costs of attendance, such as tuition, fees and supplies. The MVSP has assisted service members and veterans from all branches of the military, including the National Guard and Reserve.
This year the MVSP distributed a total of $20,000 to seven recipients:
Cpl. Nicholas Ferry, United States Marine Corps, attending Northern Illinois University
Chief Petty Officer Bonnie Flynn, United States Navy, attending San Diego State University
Cpl. Cameron Gernant, United States Marine Corps, attending Louisiana State University
Sgt. Clayton Hefner, United States Marine Corps, attending West Virginia University
Sgt. Carlton Mueller, United States Marine Corps, attending University of Colorado-Boulder
Senior Airman Jahleel Stone, United States Air Force, attending University of South Carolina
Sgt. Jose Zamora, United States Army, attending Missouri State University
The Yellow Ribbon Series
This year the “Yellow Ribbon” series of articles was introduced to give past MVSP recipients the opportunity to thank the Foundation and give readers a glimpse into the extent to which the scholarships have aided them in their pursuit of their new careers in the geosciences. The articles appeared on the Foundation Update blog and serve as a reminder of the impact donations make to the students who receive them.
“After 29 years of combined active duty, reserve and Air National Guard service, I see the need to prepare for the inevitable military retirement,” said Roberta Thompson, a 2017 MVSP recipient. “I initially set my sights on a petroleum engineering major. However, after working on a project in the Williston Basin during a summer internship, my fascination with Earth’s varied strata was rekindled. This fall I am ready to begin my final semester majoring in geology with hopes of eventually becoming a petroleum geologist, thanks to the generosity and support of the AAPG Foundation Military Veterans Scholarship Program.”
“I would like to thank all those involved for the creation of programs such as this, and for the donors who support them,” said Matthew Brice, also a 2017 recipient. “Though many of us take advantage of our military educational benefits, those alone are not enough to accomplish what we wish. Without scholarship opportunities made available to veterans, reaching our post-military goals would be increasingly more difficult.”
The application process for next year’s MVSP opens on Feb. 15 and closes on May 1. Requirements and other application information can be found at: foundation.aapg.org/programs/military.cfm or by calling an AAPG Foundation programs coordinator at (918) 560-9426, or toll free at 1 (855) 302-2743.