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News

UH cadets earn financial relief

In-College Scholarship Program awards four members of University's 
Air Force ROTC a total of $144,000

by CHIGO OKERE
The Daily Cougar

Four cadets in the UH Air Force ROTC detachment received scholarships totaling $144,000 at a ceremony Wednesday in Garrison Gym. 

The funds were granted to recipients of the In-College Scholarship Program, which considers applicants on criteria such as leadership ability, physical fitness scores, commander recommendations, grade-point averages and Air Force test results, among other factors. 

"Our goal is to produce future officers, and our students are doing well nationally. What was once a rare occurrence is now becoming common," Col. Phil Bossert, the detachment commander, said. "The scholarships are something our whole university should be proud of."

Sophomore cadets Wesley Parker, Ryan Tamez and Jennifer Messinger and freshman cadet Timothy Salinas all received scholarships. 

"Receiving the scholarship lifts a burden off of my shoulder," Salinas, who received a $56,000 scholarship, said. 

The scholarships will help the students pay for tuition, lab fees and books. 

The winning cadets were selected from a national pool of 144 applicants. 

ROTC provides more than $60 million in scholarships annually. The In-College Scholarship Program provides scholarships for college freshmen and sophomores who are enrolled in an Air Force ROTC unit. 

Recipients must be U.S. citizens to be eligible for the scholarship, and eligible majors include computer engineering, environmental engineering and other engineering-related fields of study.

The Air Force ROTC has worked with students to help 3them attain scholarships and has commenced new training regimens for mental and physical preparations for wartime. 

Capt. Albert V. Chapman IV, commandant of cadets, said the scholarships would be crucial in relieving the burden of high tuition. 

"Most of our cadets work full-time or part-time in addition to school," Chapman said. 

"The scholarships allow them to now concentrate on their studies, knowing if they maintain the requirements, their tuition is covered." 

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