New Scholarship Plan Announced for Active Duty Military
JONESBORO – To honor America’s service members, Arkansas State University has established a special scholarship plan for all United States active duty personnel and their spouses.
Chancellor Kelly Damphousse made the announcement to coincide with Veterans Day, and the start of Heroes Week at A-State.
“Arkansas State has a long tradition with America’s military, and this scholarship program honors not only active duty service members, but also those who serve alongside them in their immediate families,” Damphousse said.
The plan reduces all tuition for active duty personnel and their spouses at Arkansas State to equal the federal government tuition assistance program standard per credit hour rate.
The military tuition scholarship is open to both part-time and full-time members of the Arkansas National Guard, as well as those who are serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard.
Home to the state’s largest Army ROTC battalion and the Beck Center for Veterans, Arkansas State’s new active duty plan adds a financially significant benefit that will open the door to degree completion and graduate programs for active duty military.
“Being rated ‘Military Friendly’ and declared a Purple Heart Campus are great achievements, but this is a tangible benefit for our current service members,” Damphousse said. “With the state’s largest online degree program, we can assist military personnel and their spouses with coursework whether they are at their forward operating base or stationed right here in Arkansas.”
The program begins with the beginning of the spring 2020 semester in January, with more information and an enrollment portal to open in late November.
Including the immediate family of service members is an important distinction for A-State.
“We know those who stay at home and lead the family are also serving alongside their spouse,” Damphousse added. “We want to lift up all our active duty military. Completing a degree or advancing from one degree to the next can have a tremendous impact on the life-long earning potential of individuals. Those in our military give up so much for us, and this is an opportunity for us to give something back.”
Later this week, the Red Wolf Battalion will induct its 2019 class into the ROTC unit’s Hall of Heroes. This Saturday, A-State hosts Heroes Day at the Red Wolves home game against Coastal Carolina. All active duty military as well as active emergency responders – police, fire, EMS and emergency management – are admitted free.
The program is one of the first from the developing Office of Veterans and Military Support at Arkansas State.
“We are working this academic year to consolidate the assistance programs that A-State offers both to active duty and veterans into one area,” Damphousse said. “We have several great individual offices, but by bringing them all under one roof we can leverage partnerships and work across silos to improve the assistance we provide to currently serving Red Wolves and veterans in our community.”
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