The Memphis Council of the Navy League
of the United States presented Navy League Scholarship awards for the Spring
2013 semester to four students enrolled in the Mid-South Region Naval Reserve
Officer Training Corps program at The University of Memphis and The University
of Mississippi on Tuesday, March 19 and Thursday, March 21, 2013. Awardees
included MIDN 3/C (HM2) Benjamin H. Winters, University of Memphis ($1250
award), MIDN 3/C Clara C. Barnes, University of Memphis ($1250 award), MIDN 4/C
Michael W. Parker, University of Memphis ($1000 award), and MIDN 4/C Marvin J.
Hughes, University of Mississippi ($1000 award). Presenting the awards
was CDR Timothy L. Ferree, USN (Ret.), Chairman of the Memphis NL Scholarship
Committee.
The
Memphis Council Navy League NROTC Scholarship Program was established in the
Fall of 2005.
Designed
to support up to six students per calendar year, it provides financial support
for students in their first and second year of undergraduate education and
officer training.
This
unique program is intended to support students who desire to receive their
officer commission in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps, but were not
initially selected for national scholarship programs.
The
Navy League scholarship acts as a “bridge” that provides a portion of their
financial support as they strive to be selected for a national scholarship
program as a result of their program performance.
To
be eligible for consideration, students must demonstrate and maintain high
scholastic, leadership aptitude and physical fitness performance and be
recommended by their NROTC Program Administrators.
Freshmen
were initially awarded $500 per semester. That was increased to $750 in
Spring 2011 and further increased to $1000 in Spring 2012.
Upperclassmen
were initially awarded $750 per semester. That was increased to $1000 in
Spring 2011 and further increased to $1250 in Spring 2012.
Numerous
fundraising events are held throughout the year to support this program and the
training and development of future Navy and Marine Corps officers produced by
the NROTC program.
Here
are some facts about the program results to date (including Spring 2013
awardees):
1. 35 distinct students have been awarded one (or
multiple) scholarships.
2. 22 students are currently in the NROTC program or
have been commissioned.
3. 8 students have been commissioned as officers in
the USN (2) and USMC (6) since the program began.
4. 12 students continue to pursue their degrees
and officer commission at Memphis, Christian Brothers and Ole Miss, and 1 has
transferred to USNA.
Of the 12 students currently
in training, 6 are on national scholarships or special programs and 6 students
will be considered for national scholarship programs this year.
5. A total of $35,500 in scholarships has been awarded
since the program was established in Fall 2005.
Program Statistics for 8 Years: Fall 2005-Spring 2013
Awardees 35 100%
Commissioned 8 23%
On Track for Commission 12 34%
Alternate Commission Program 2 6%
Subtotal
(Commissioned/Commissioning) 22 63%
No longer in Programs 13 37%
