The AAPG Foundation is pleased to announce the scholarship recipients of the 2019 Deana and Paul Strunk Military Veterans Scholarship Program and the new Jack C. and Catherine I. Threet Named Grant.
The MVSP awardees for 2019 are:
- Justin Alvey, United States Army, Specialist 4, from Syracuse University
- Lane Daigle, United States Navy, Petty Officer Second Class, from the University of Colorado at Boulder
- Ryan “Charlie” Daniels, United States Air Force, Senior Airman, from the University of Alaska
- Paul Gilbert, United States Marine Corps, Corporal, from Missouri State University
- Zachary Peoples, United States Marine Corps, Corporal, from the University of South Alabama
- Patricia Standring, United States Air Force, Staff Sergeant, from the University of Texas at Austin
The recipient of the Jack C. and Catherine I. Threet Grant is:
- Daniel Collins, United States Army, Staff Sergeant, from the University of Arizona
Returning to civilian life has challenges, and geoscience programs can provide a path to military veterans as they transition into civilian technical careers. The MVSP was founded in 2014 to fulfill this mission.
Eligible recipients enrolled in a four-year geoscience program at an accredited college or university 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 assists service members and veterans from all branches of the United States military, including the National Guard and Reserves.
The MVSP scholarships help students who have served in their country achieve their academic and career goals.
Paul Gilbert’s goal is to complete his bachelor’s degree and then pursue a master’s degree focusing on structural geology. Patricia Standring said that her scholarship “has a significant impact on my academic future and helps me fulfill my dreams of conducting research in paleoclimate studies.”
For many of the MVSP recipients, completing their degrees would be out of the question without the financial support they receive from their MVSP scholarships. MVSP recipient Zachary Peoples said, “It is because of this support that I can focus more on my studies and less on making ends meet.”
Read the personal stories of MVSP recipients in the Yellow Ribbon Series, an annual series of articles that focuses on the journeys of returning military veterans who are pursuing geoscience degrees. Last year we featured the Third Fleet’s leading Chief Petty Officer Bonnie Flynn, whose goal upon completing her degree is to apply for a commission with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Marine Corporal Cameron Gernant, who performed fieldwork on glacio-isostatic adjustment aboard a research vessel in Antarctica.
Applications for next year’s MVSP open Feb. 15, 2020. Learn more about the AAPG Foundation’s Military Veterans Scholarship Program at Foundation.AAPG.org/Military-veterans-scholarship-program.
If you have questions or need assistance, email a Programs Coordinator at [email protected].
If you would like to make a donation to the MVSP, or one of the Foundation’s other educational initiatives, please visit Donate.AAPG.org.