UT Partners with Special Operations Warrior Foundation to Provide Scholarships

The University of Tampa and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation announced today that they have formed a unique partnership to ensure a college education for qualified students whose parents served in U.S. Special Operations and who died in combat or in a training accident.

The University of Tampa has committed to providing five renewable scholarships – worth $10,000 to $14,000 a year – for these qualified students. For a typical freshman who graduates in four years the scholarship could be worth up to $56,000. The foundation commits to providing the students’ college expenses that the scholarship does not cover.

This partnership was announced during today’s dedication of the General Peter J. Schoomaker ROTC and Athletics Building on the UT campus.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which Gen. Schoomaker serves on the Board of Directors, would help UT identify the students most qualified for a UT education. Likewise, UT President Ronald Vaughn said UT is in a perfect situation to support these students and help them develop. He added that this scholarship fits in nicely with UT’s long history of being supportive of the military through UT’s ROTC program and Department of Military Science and Leadership.

“The men and women in ROTC are some of our best. They’re leaders on campus, and they’re very focused,” Vaughn said. “We’re proud of our ROTC cadets and cadre, as our program has won practically every award the U.S. Army presents.”

Retired Air Force Col. John T. Carney Jr., the president and CEO of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, expressed how pleased the foundation is these high school graduates will have the chance to attend the University of Tampa.

“This partnership with UT will make it possible for many deserving children to attend a nationally recognized and military friendly university and gain the education that their fallen parent would have wanted for them,” he said.