SedonaEye.com article by Marie Tillman

Sedona AZ (March 4, 2014) – Ten years ago this April, I lost my husband Pat while he was serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. During his life, Pat never stopped learning, leading and living the ideals he believed in. He was a soldier, athlete and scholar, and he was deeply committed to a life of service both in and out of uniform.

After his death, our family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation to continue his legacy and fuel the potential of service members, veterans and military spouses who answered the call to serve after 9/11. In 2008, not long after passage of the historic Post-9/11 GI Bill, we created the Tillman Military Scholars program to provide academic scholarships and further invest in their higher education and career goals.

Today, the Tillman Military Scholars program unites the best talent and leadership from the military to continue making a significant, positive impact for our country and communities. Since its inception, the program has grown in both scope and impact investing more than $4.6 million in scholarships for 290 Tillman Military Scholars pursuing degrees at every level from undergraduate to Ph.D. at 85 academic institutions nationwide. As a community, Tillman Military Scholars demonstrate extraordinary academic and leadership potential as well as a deep desire to impact change for our country and communities through their studies in medicine, law, business, government, education and the arts.

Pat and brother Kevin Tillman served together in Afghanistan

For the 2014-2015 academic year, we invite eligible student veterans and spouses nationwide to apply to join our 6th Class of Tillman Military Scholars. The application to apply for the Tillman Military Scholarship will remain open until Thursday, March 6, 2014, at 11:59:59 p.m. EST. Applicants who are pursuing undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degrees as a full-time student at a public or private, U.S.-based accredited institution are welcome to apply. For more details on how to apply and to learn more about our 15 University Partners nationwide, please visit this page.

As a foundation, we recognize that military veterans and spouses face numerous challenges during the transition from military to civilian life and have unique needs that often prevent successfully completing a degree. To supplement the GI Bill, the Tillman Military scholarship covers direct study-related expenses, including tuition and fees, books and living stipend. Scholarships will be granted for the 2014-2015 academic year and are eligible for renewal.

Army Ranger Pat Tillman

Of the 60 Tillman Military Scholars chosen annually, each has a goal, a determination, and a drive that sets them apart. We welcome applicants who not only share Pat’s core values, strength of character and commitment to service in and out of uniform, but also demonstrate the potential to go out into the world and change it. To explore the profiles of current Tillman Military Scholars and see what distinguishes our most successful applicants, visit our scholars page.

Marie Tillman is the President and Co-Founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation, established in honor of her husband, NFL Player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman who was killed while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan in April 2004. To learn more about the Tillman Military Scholars program, visit our site.

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