The Minuteman Scholarship

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Deidra Knight | Army Reserve Ambassador Isabelle Slifer takes a moment to speak with Minuteman Scholarship receipients, other ROTC students and families.  

FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

09.15.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Deidra Knight 

108th Training Command- Initial Entry Training

Four students received their oath of office at George Mason University and accepted their ROTC Minuteman Scholarship to attend school full time, Aug. 25, 2016.

Ambassador Lt. Col. (retired) Isabelle Slifer performed the oath of office for the students. Slifer stated what an honor it was to not only to give the oath of office to the students but also give them a way to pay for college.

“This was enlightening and probably one of the best things I have done in the Army Reserve giving young deserving people a way to afford college and become the future leaders of the Army Reserve,” she said.

“Giving the Army Reserve ambassadors the opportunity to reach out into the community and look for the best of the best made being in the Army Reserve all worth it,” Slifer said.

Many students look for other avenues to fund their school and sometimes-traditional methods are not available or students just aren’t eligible.

The minuteman scholarship provides you an excellent opportunity to commission into the Army Reserve as well as get an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship.

This scholarship covers 4 years of full tuition and fees or $10,000 for room and board at colleges and universities served by an Army ROTC program.

“The benefits are wonderful: college is paid for, they get money for their books and a monthly stipend,” Slifer said.

“The best benefit is the Simultaneous Membership Program, where these young people have an opportunity to observe and be mentored by a senior lieutenant or captain so they will know what its like to be in the Army and Army Reserve, also how to be a leader.”

The Minuteman Scholarship recipients participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program, which gives them experience with an Army Reserve unit while earning additional money for their service, they also receive a monthly stipend of $300 to $500, and a yearly book allowance of $1,200.

The minuteman scholarship is one that is very competitive and took a lot of work on the part of the recipient. The minimum GPA that students have to have was 2.5, however at George Mason the minimum GPA was 3.5 and students had to write an essay as well.

“Getting the minuteman scholarship seems unreal, not only do I get to continue my dad’s legacy and serve, but also not have to worry about financial needs while doing it,” said Jessie Bringer, a sophomore at Marymount college.

“I think it’s a huge honor and I feel really blessed and grateful to be a part of such a wonderful organization,” she said.

For other minuteman recipients getting the scholarship happiness was just one word to describe the many reasons why getting the scholarship was so special.

Nash Daughtry, a freshman at George Mason University and Minuteman recipient said that he was very happy to have received the scholarship because it was a lot of work, from the essay, to driving from his home in Virginia Beach to MEPS and taking the ASVAB test, to doing the physical fitness test; it all was a lot and in the end all that hard-work paid off.

The scholarship is offered every year and students can get more information by emailing the program at [e-mail] or going to the Army Reserve website http://go.usa.gov/xK4Gm.

• Date Taken: 09.15.2016
• Date Posted: 09.15.2016 13:13
• Story ID: 209730
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US