Spring Break
Scholarships give Corps members options
By: Christopher B. Buckley
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: News
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Many members of the Corps of Cadets sign a contract allowing them to receive a military scholarship. By signing the contract, the cadet pledges that after graduation and being commissioned as an officer, he or she will serve in the military for a specified amount of time.
Of the 1,800 members of the Corps, about 150 are commissioned into the military at the end of every school year.
This year, students who accepted the military contract received a majority of the militaries scholarship. Nearly 95 percent of the scholarships that the military provides to Aggies are for corps members that sign contracts.
The $3.3 million received from the military out-earned the University's next largest donor by more than half a million dollars.
Assistant Provost for scholarships and financial aid Joseph Pettibon said, "Because some students receive ROTC scholarship money, we refrain from awarding them certain grant funds, which potentially allows other students to receive that money.
"We work with the ROTC program office and are given information from them. We keep track of the information by individual student accounts."
In addition to ROTC scholarships, veterans attending universities and college receive educational backing from the GI Bill.
The GI Bill was a part of a lengthy legislation package titled the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. Among other things, the GI Bill finances veterans' education, be it college or vocational training.
Around 560 veterans of the armed services attend A&M and they are supported with $6 million for educational expenses.
Dan Garcia joined the Air Force before attending A&M and graduating in 2008.
"The GI Bill was a steady monthly income that I could depend on and I didn't have to worry about food and rent money because it took care of my necessities," Garcia said. "I don't think I could have made it through school without the GI Bill."
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