Two SJ members awarded $50,000 college scholarships

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Aaron J. Jenne
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Corvias Foundation, a private organization and the charitable arm of Corvias Military Living, recently awarded scholarships to the children of two Airmen assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

Kamrie Risku, stepdaughter of Master Sgt. Anthony Smith, 4th Medical Group patient advocate, and Carla Aviles-Jimenez, daughter of Maj. Nelson Avilesfigueroa, 4th Communications Squadron commander, both received $50,000 scholarships to attend a university of their choice.

This year, 11 students were selected to receive the Our Future Scholarship. Contestants were selected from 13 Army and Air Force installations where Corvias Military Living provides housing.

"We are proud of each of our scholarship recipients for what they've already achieved and are so happy to be a part of what they will become," said John Picerne, CEO of Corvias Group and founder of the Corvias Foundation.

The parents of the recipients also expressed pride in their daughters' accomplishments.

"The future is in the hands of our children, and it's imperative they do well in school, follow the guidance of their teachers and go the extra mile to achieve their dreams," Avilesfigueroa said. "They're going to hit road blocks here and there, but it's what they do and how they learn from those road blocks that matters. In the end, it's all for them. Education is their future. For the good of the nation, we need children who are concerned about their education."

Aviles-Jimenez recalled being notified of her selection as a scholarship recipient.

"At first I thought it was a joke," she said. "I had to ask the person on the phone to repeat herself. When I finally understood what she was telling me, I was so happy I started to cry."
Risku had a similar experience.

She said she was at a park with friends when she received her notification.

"I was so excited I just walked around in circles and jumped up and down," Risku said. "The only thing I could think was, 'of all the other people who competed; they selected me.'"
Aviles-Jimenez, who plans to study English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, applied for the scholarship after her father brought it to her attention.

Risku said she has her heart set on studying psychology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She said she applied for the scholarship because it is intended for future leaders, and that's what she wants to be.

"I want to study psychology so I can help people who can't afford it," Risku said. Seventy-five percent of homeless people have psychological problems. My goal is to help those who need it the most."

Her father reiterated his confidence in his daughter's ability to excel in the future.

"She's always been a hard worker," Smith said of his stepdaughter. "She worked harder than most, balancing sports, work and classes to graduate high school a year early. From her Air Force upbringing she learned to show excellence in all she does. I think she would tell you that it was a little hard, but establishing a standard and being resilient helped her achieve her goals."

Students interested in the annual Our Future Scholarship should visit the Corvias Foundation website at: http://corviasfoundation.org/?id=scholarships-grants