Tyndall students receive $13,000 in academic support from Officers’ Spouses Club

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anthony J. Hyatt
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
What is a scholarship? To many students, a scholarship is the only thing that lies between them and a college education. Scholarships help students by aiding them with funding, which will allow them to further their education.

The Tyndall Officers' Spouses Club will present $13,000 in academic scholarships to students at 4:30 p.m. today at the Officers' Club.

"The Officers' Spouses Club gives out scholarships annually," said Kate Bobb, the president of the Officers' Spouse Club. Roughly 23 people applied for these scholarships.

Eleven selected students will receive a scholarship ranging from $250 to $2,000.

To be eligible for an OSC scholarship, applicants must be active-duty military, Guard, Reserve, retired military or a dependent of a military or retired military member.

As part of the application process, an essay must be written based on a specific topic. A committee composed of military members and workers from the education field evaluate the essays and application packages to determine who receives the scholarships.

"We have generated money for the scholarships through fund raising," said Bobb. The thrift shop contributes the most money, which is run by volunteers from the Officers' Spouses Club.

Scholarships help pay for books, supplies, equipment, tuition, fees, and room and board.

Katie Reid, the 2007 Tyndall OSC Scholarship coordinator, is a former scholarship winner herself. New to the Tyndall area, she took on the scholarship project in January in hopes of meeting friends and interacting with local military spouses.

"It was a lot of work getting it all together in such a short amount of time, but it is well worth it," said Reid. "Being a former scholarship winner myself, I felt it was my duty to take this on," she said.

"I've met many wonderful people that I may not have met otherwise," she said. "It has really helped me transition into the community."

Reid won her scholarship in high school and went on to complete a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University and a master's degree from Oklahoma University. She has benefited from the program, and was more than happy to give back to the OSC in the hopes that others would gain from the benefits as she had.

For more information about joining the Officers' Spouses Club visit www.tyndallosc.com.