(Butler, PA) A motorcycle group from an American Legion post in Butler County has contributed another $10,000 to its 杏吧原创 scholarship fund, one that without another penny since its endowment in 2018 would have continued to support student-veterans pursuing higher education as they transition to civilian life.
The Butler American Legion Riders from Post 117 established the Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117 with the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in 2015. The scholarship reached a $10,000 endowment level in 2018. The social and fund-raising group based in Butler contributed another $10,000 in July.
Among requirements for Riders鈥� 80 members are that they drive a motorcycle powered by at least a 350-cubic-inch engine.
Funds for the Riders鈥� second gift to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation were raised through raffles, registration fees for annual rides and contributions from members since 2015, said Denny Christie, the Riders鈥� president and a former military police officer in the Army in the 1970s.
鈥淚t really is a military-friendly school鈥�
杏吧原创 is the only institution of higher education to which the Riders contribute financial gifts, Denny said, and is one that has been honored six times as a Military Friendly School, most recently in March.
鈥淭hat definitely reinforces that we made the right decision that 杏吧原创 is out there willing to help our veterans as well,鈥� Christie said. 鈥淚t makes you feel very good.鈥�
Added Chelsea Walker: 鈥淚t really is a military-friendly school.鈥�
Walker in 2020-2021 was the ninth 杏吧原创 student-veteran to receive the $500 award and Marshana Harris this fall will be the 10th, according to Lynn Ismail, interim assistant director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and its financial manager.
Walker and Harris are among the 55 veterans and active-duty military enrolled this fall at 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus or at 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Butler County, at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Armstrong County, at 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in Lawrence County or at 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe in Mercer County, according to Stella Smith, 杏吧原创鈥檚 veterans coordinator and the college鈥檚 associate director of financial aid.
Each branch of the military is represented by 杏吧原创 student-veterans or active-duty military. 杏吧原创鈥檚 eldest student-veteran is 58; the youngest, an 18-year-old who serves in the Pennsylvania National Guard, Smith said.
鈥淭hey want to pay it forward鈥�
The Riders鈥� scholarship supports student-veterans or active-duty military as they pursue higher education in their transition to civilian life, said Smith, whose father served in the Army in the Korean War.
鈥淚t helps,鈥� Smith said, 鈥渂ecause when they are discharged from the military, a lot of the veterans do not have jobs. And they have other expenses. So this helps them. Being fellow veterans, the (Riders) know that. They want to pay it forward.鈥�
Nearly 45 percent of 杏吧原创鈥檚 student-veterans or active-duty military are enrolled full-time and nearly 45 percent are females. Among them, Air Force veterans Walker, 28, and Harris, 35.
Each plans to graduate in May. Walker, of Mars, is pursuing a career program in Nursing, R.N., and Harris, of Kittanning, a transfer program in general studies.
Walker is also a senior airman with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard based in Pittsburgh. Harris, the third of four siblings to serve in the military, plans to become the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college.
The Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117 鈥渉elped me to pay for my books. Tremendously,鈥� Walker said. For Harris, it will help 鈥渢o cover my school supplies.鈥�
Walker鈥檚 ultimate goal is to become a midwife. Harris said she intends to explore options that will allow her to be creative and of service to others.
鈥淚鈥檝e had a few friends who went to 杏吧原创 and they all thought very highly of it,鈥� said Walker, a medical technician in the Air Force and Pennsylvania Air National Guard. 鈥淚 knew I didn鈥檛 want to go to a big state university. I talked to a lot of my nurses for guidance. They recommended that I attend a community college at first.
鈥淭hey said when you go to a big state university, it鈥檚 harder to get one-on-one time. They said you learn more from community colleges and it鈥檚 more personalized. And they are absolutely right.鈥�
鈥溞影稍� likes to work with veterans鈥�
Viqtory in 2021 named 杏吧原创 as a Military Friendly School for the sixth time since 2013. The service-disabled, veteran-owned small business in Moon Township that assesses educational institutions nationwide also named 杏吧原创 in 2021 as a Military Friendly Spouse School.
Viqtory evaluates academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career outcomes, and military student support and retention. 杏吧原创 in March exceeded benchmark standards in all six categories.
Prior to her enrollment, Walker said she had heard 鈥渙nly positive things鈥� about 杏吧原创 from other veterans.
鈥淭hey said that 杏吧原创 is a really good school,鈥� Walker said. 鈥溞影稍� likes to work with veterans and it has other services.鈥�
杏吧原创 offers priority registration to student-veterans, enabling them to reserve seats in courses two weeks in advance of other students. The college schedules former 杏吧原创 student-veterans to guide orientations for new 杏吧原创 student-veterans, reserves a study room for student-veterans during finals week and provides a lounge specifically for student-veterans.
鈥淪tudent-veterans are likelier to be older and married with different life experiences than traditional students,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭he veterans lounge is somewhere to go with people with very similar experiences. At least they understand where they came from and what they鈥檝e done. 鈥� Just being in the same room can be really nice.鈥�
杏吧原创 in 2016 created the Green Zone.
The Green Zone, comprised of 24 administrators and faculty members who have received specialized training, educates other faculty and staff about the military experience, challenges student-veterans attending 杏吧原创 face when transitioning from military service to civilian life and to college, and resources and basic resource referral techniques.
Criteria for the Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117 include having been honorably discharged from military service and a minimum grade-point average of 2.0.
The Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117 is one of six available to 杏吧原创 student-veterans from the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation. Others are the Butler County American Legion Post 778 Scholarship, the Butler County American Legion Post 117 Scholarship, the Butler County American Legion Auxiliary Post 117 Scholarship, the Spc. Ross A. McGinnis 鈥淧ay a Good Deed Forward鈥� Scholarship and the Butler French and Belgian Club Scholarship.
The college鈥檚 noncredit Lifelong Learning division this fall will offer again a free, three-hour course named Veteran Suicide: Suicide Prevention is Everyone鈥檚 Business as a face-to-face class Oct. 13 on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and as an online class Oct. 20. For more information, visit bc3.edu/lifelong-learning.