Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Awards $8.5 Million in Academic Scholarships to Over 2,750 Children of Marines

Despite this year's challenges, the Scholarship Foundation perseveres to provide record-breaking support to children of Marines and Navy Corpsman

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Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation

Jun 23, 2020, 08:22 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation announced it will award more than $8.5 million in academic scholarships to over 2,750 children of Marines and Navy Corpsman for the 2020-2021 school year. After experiencing a significant increase in submitted applications, this year's announcement is particularly monumental as it marks both an increase of 18% in the number of awards and the highest total scholarship value in the Scholarship Foundation's nearly 60 year history, all done amid a global pandemic.

"The Scholarship Foundation was established to serve our nation's Marine families and thank them for their innumerable sacrifices," said President and CEO Lieutenant General Robert Ruark USMC (Ret.). "In that spirit, we are extremely proud to award a record-breaking amount of scholarships to the children of Marines. To the thousands of donors who made this level of support possible: thank you. With your generous contribution, the future of this Nation has never been brighter, and I am confident these children will move forward with their education and professional careers forever grateful. It speaks volumes on how we, as a community, continue to rally for the greater good in light of these incredibly challenging times."

A financial need based scholarship, the Foundation's recipients reflect the diversity characteristic of the United States Marine Corps; students from all walks of life and destined for leadership and service in a variety of professional fields. Scholarship Foundation recipients are top-tier scholars with a 90% overall graduation rate, well above national performance averages. Notably, half of recipients are first-generation college students and 45% pursue STEM degrees.

Messages of gratitude have poured in from recipients who are facing an uncertain school year. "You have allowed me to focus on the most important aspect of college, learning, without the burden of student loans," said Jake Lane, a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan and son of a veteran Marine. "I am eternally grateful for your kind-hearted and generous spirit and one day hope to change someone's life in the way you have changed mine."

About the Scholarship Foundation: Established in 1962, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the Nation's oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships for military children. Since its inception, the Scholarship Foundation has provided over 47,000 scholarships valued at more than $145 million to the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. For more information on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, please visit www.mcsf.org.

CONTACT: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
Dana Umbach
[email protected]
571.384.2821

SOURCE Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation