Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association Awards $275,000 in Scholarships
WASHINGTON, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association (SMSA) announced the awarding of $275,000 in scholarships at its national Scholarship Announcement Reception today. The Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association is the nation's only provider of need-based scholarships to the children and grandchildren of individuals who have served with America's Seabees and the Civil Engineer Corps (CEC).
SMSA has provided over 2,800 scholarship awards totaling $4.6 million since 1972. As college costs continue to outpace military family salaries these scholarship awards are critical to Seabee families.
"We are honored that the Seabee community and corporate and civic leaders generously support our efforts to provide scholarships for deserving Seabee families. This year America's fighting Seabees celebrate 75 years of defending and protecting America, we are honored to be part of that extraordinary legacy and confident that the young people supported by our scholarships will go on to do great things for our nation and our world," said SMSA chairman Rear Admiral Mike Giorgione, CEC, USN (Ret.).
The Association's scholarships develop the nation's future workforce, rewarding those young scholars who embody the character, leadership, and academic values needed for success in today's globally competitive economy. Seabee scholarship recipients tend to graduate in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
Scholarship recipients prove the effectiveness of the program through their academic and professional achievements. All Scholarship Association recipients attend four-year colleges or universities and 80 percent of students graduate at a time when the national rate is only 38 percent.
The 2016-2017 scholarship recipient class includes 85 children and grand-children of active duty Seabees and Civil Engineer Corps members as well as those who have been honorably discharged, wounded in combat or killed in action.
Brandi Anderson, a political science and religious studies major at Stetson University received one of this year's scholarships. Anderson's scholarship honors her father, Navy Seabee Builder 2nd Class Michael C. Anderson who was killed in action while serving in Iraq.
"In America, we can celebrate such freedoms such as going to the school of our choice, thanks to the sacrifices of men and women like my dad who paid the ultimate price. I was only seven years old when I lost my dad. He was in the NMCB14 unit, and was killed in Ramadi, Iraq, on May 2, 2004. I have spent my whole life trying to be someone he would be proud of. It is because of people like him, that we are awarded the great liberties, which we so enjoy. I believe that by attending college and being successful, I will be honoring my father's legacy," said Anderson.
On September 20, 2016, SMSA will holds its inaugural Building America's Future Gala, recognizing scholarship recipients and General John Allen USMC (Ret.), AECOM and Mike Rowe, host of CNN's Somebody's Gotta Do It. Sponsorship and ticket information are available at www.seabee.org or by contacting Dan Miller at [email protected].
About the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association: The Seabee Scholarship Association is the nation's only provider of need-based scholarships for the children and grandchildren of individuals who have served with America's fighting Seabees and the Civil Engineer Corps (CEC). SMSA has awarded over 2,800 scholarship awards totaling $4.6 million since 1972. For more information on the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association visit www.seabee.org.
SOURCE Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association
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