ASU named University Partner for Tillman scholars program

The Pat Tillman Foundation has chosen Arizona State University as University Partner for the 2012/2013 academic year in support of the Tillman Military Scholars program, which provides scholarships for active and veteran service members as well as their spouses.

ASU joins Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Minnesota as new partners, along with 11 other returning university partners nationwide.

“We are truly honored to be chosen as a University Partner for the Tillman Military Scholars program,” states Chris Rauschenbach, ASU program manager for Veteran Services. “We recognize the financial challenges some veterans and their spouses face as they seek to get an education. This program is great for meeting such needs while encouraging recipients to stay engaged in their communities.”

In 2008 the Pat Tillman Foundation established the Tillman Military Scholars program, dedicated to supporting educational opportunities for service members and their families by filling the financial gaps in the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. The Tillman Military Scholars program covers not only direct study-related expenses such as tuition and fees, but also other needs, including housing and childcare.

Over the past three years, the Pat Tillman Foundation has awarded over $2.2 million in scholarship funds to 171 Tillman Military Scholars pursuing education at every level from freshmen undergraduates to doctoral candidates.

The application to become a Tillman Military Scholar opens on Feb. 13, however, eligibility rules and criteria are currently available. Applicants need to be full time students pursuing an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree. Students are encouraged to start early by writing the required essays. Learn more about eligibility and criteria at http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/tillman-military-scholars/apply/.

In 2011, ASU opened the Pat Tillman Veterans Center on the Tempe campus to connect veterans to academic and student support services. Selection as a University Partner of the Pat Tillman Foundation is complementary to the center’s mission and indicative of the commitment ASU has made to our military veterans. Partner Universities share a special allocation of the scholarships  – qualified ASU applicants are now three times more likely to become a Tillman Military Scholar.