SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- In a perfect world having enough money would never be an issue, but in reality a lack of cash can severely limit a person's aspirations to earn a higher education.
To help alleviate this burden, the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Spouses' Clubs Scholarship Committee and the Defense Commissary Agency are working to help negate college expenses with scholarships available to military dependents.
"With the increasing cost of a college education, every little bit helps," said Joni Wallace, OCSC publicity chair.
Both agencies are now accepting applications for their scholarships.
The Spouses' Clubs Scholarship Committee scholarships are done as a joint venture between the Officers' and Civilian Spouses' Clubs and the Enlisted Spouses' Club, Mrs. Wallace said. "The two groups work together each year to raise money for the scholarships as well as run the program."
Applicants must be a dependent spouse or child who is a graduating high school senior or is an undergraduate student up to age 23 working on their first undergraduate degree.
"We are hoping to have around $15,000 to give this year which is the amount we gave last year," Mrs. Wallace said. "The amount depends on how much is brought in by Thrift Shop funds. The Thrift Shop is our source of funds for the scholarships. So, in essence when someone shops, volunteers or donates to the Thrift Shop they are helping add to the scholarship fund. We hope to meet our goal of $15,000 and would be thrilled if we could exceed that goal!"
Application and instructions are available at www.sjafbesc.com. Submissions are due by March 5, 2010. For more information about the Spouses' Clubs Scholarship, e-mail scscholarships@gmail.com or visit the Web sites above.
The DeCA is also accepting applications for their 2010 Scholarships for Military Children Program. Each commissary that receives qualified applications will award at least one $1,500 scholarship.
"Being part of something that makes higher education more affordable for military families is thrilling, as we feel it makes a better future possible for their children," said Philip Sakowitz Jr., DeCA director and CEO. "The program awards $1,500 scholarships to well-rounded, accomplished service members' children, enabling these families to save some on their children's tuition."
The scholarship is open to dependent, unmarried children, younger than age 21, age 23 if enrolled as a full-time student at a college or university, of active duty personnel, Reserve, Guard and retired military members, survivors of service members who died while on active duty, or survivors of individuals who died while receiving retired pay from the military. The applicant must be planning to attend or already attending an accredited college or university full time in the fall of 2010 or enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.
Applicants must write an essay on the theme, if "You can travel back in time; however, you cannot change events. What point in history would you visit and why?" Applicants should turn their paperwork into their commissary by close of business Feb. 17, 2010.
For more information about DeCA scholarships, visit https://www.commissaries.com or http://www.militaryscholar.org.