Representatives from The Landings Military Family Relief Fund, Armstrong State University and Savannah Technical College signed a gift agreement Monday for a new scholarship fund designed to support local military spouses and enable them to complete college.
The relief fund will donate $40,000 to the Landings Military Spouse Academic Assistance Fund, which will be split between Armstrong and Savannah Tech. The scholarship fund will provide tuition help to military spouses eligible for The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program who have exhausted their benefits.
The fund will award a maximum of $2,000 annually for up to two years, for a total of $4,000 per student.
Tom Osborn, chairman of the relief fund, said it came to fruition after Col. Peter Hoffman, director of the Armstrong Liberty Center, discussed the situation of several military spouses who were struggling to finish their degrees because of financial circumstances.
“This new scholarship fund is consistent with our mission to assist military families,” Osborn said.
Savannah Technical College president Kathy S. Love said her school appreciates the gesture.
“By relieving the financial burden of achieving educational goals, this fund will help military spouses complete their programs of study and quickly enter the workforce,” Love said. “This scholarship is a welcome addition to our arsenal of military-friendly initiatives.”
Armstrong president Linda M. Bleicken described creation of the scholarship fund as a great day for Armstrong, Savannah Tech and the military population both institutions serve.
“Military spouses deserve to be recognized and supported for the sacrifices they make each and every day,” Bleicken said. “This new scholarship fund is an important way to thank area military spouses for their support and to help them achieve their goals.”
The Landings Military Family Relief Fund was founded in 2007 by Jack Munroe, a Landings resident. Since that time, the fund has helped more than 3,600 individuals at Hunter Army Air Field and Fort Stewart.
The local Red Cross chapter manages the disbursement of funds.