The Pat Tillman Military Scholars Program

The Pat Tillman Foundation

http://pattillmanfoundation.org/who-we-are

About Pat Tillman

• Pat Tillman was an NFL player with the Arizona Cardinals. In 2002, Pat left the NFL to serve in the U.S. Army.

• Following Pat’s death in 2004, while serving with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan, his family and friends established the Pat Tillman foundation in his honor.

The Foundation

• Founded in 2008, the Tillman Military Scholars program supports our nation’s active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses by investing in their higher education. Since the program’s inception, the Foundation has invested over $4.1 million in scholarships for 290 scholars nationwide.

• There are only 15 university partners for the Pat Tillman Scholarship…GW became a partner in 2013.

The Scholars

• The scholarship covers educational expenses, including tuition and fees, books and living stipend. But scholars receive much more than just funding.

• The program unites the best talent and leadership in the military to make a significant, positive impact on our country and our local communities.

• The scholars chosen reflect Pat’s values, strength of character and commitment to service. They demonstrate extraordinary academic and leadership potential and a deep desire to impact change through their studies in the fields of medicine, law, business, government, education and the arts.

Who is eligible?

• Veterans and active duty military service-members• Of both pre- and post-9/11 service• From all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: Army,

Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, including service in the National Guard and Reserves

• Spouses of active or veteran service-members• Including surviving spouses

• Service-member or spouse seeking assistance to pursue an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree as a full-time student at a public or private U.S. based institution

Benefits of being a Scholar

• Access to the Tillman Community and leadership opportunities within the network

• Invitation to the annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL

• Entry to the annual Pat’s Run in Tempe, AZ, or Shadow Runs nationwide

• Invitation to premier partner conferences including Inc. 500/5000, Clinton Global Initiative University, and the Student Veterans of America Summit

• Access to Fortune 500 veteran affinity groups and talent acquisition networks

• Participation in groundbreaking research studies in the veterans and military community

• Opportunities to lead and volunteer with veteran partner organizations including Team Rubicon, The Mission Continues, and Team RWB

• Highlights of your stories, studies and service efforts on the Pat Tillman Foundation website and social media

Expectations of Scholars

• Maintain a full-time student status;

• Maintain a high academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher);

• Report to the Pat Tillman Foundation when requested (completing surveys); and

• Meet expectations of high moral character and leadership

• Attend the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit and other Foundation events in your region

• Active engagement in the Tillman Community, with significant contribution as a thought leader, spokesperson and ambassador

Renewability of the Scholarship

Annual funding renewability will be considered for most scholars based on:

• Meeting expected graduation date

• Proof of full-time student status and minimum 3.0 GPA earned

• Tillman Community engagement as a thought leader

• Documented participation in service

• Accountability for use of scholarship funds

• All criteria must be met in order to be renewed. Review of renewal status is conducted each June by the Foundation.

• Students who have to extend their expected graduation date must provide proof of extenuating circumstances.

• Tillman Military Scholars are expected to maintain full-time enrollment in a U.S. accredited institution unless they are assuming part-time status during the semester they will graduate.

• Scholarship funding can only be used toward a single post-secondary degree.

The Application Process

• Students can apply online at http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/apply-to-be-a-scholar

Criteria

• Educational and career ambitions

• Record of military service

• Motivation for serving

• Record of personal achievement

• Demonstration of service to others in the community

• Desire to continue to serve others and make a positive impact on your community

• Leadership potential

• Compelling, thoughtful, genuine and thorough essay question responses

Required Information

•Basic contact information

•Military service history

•Educational history and enrollment plans

•Expected academic/living expenses and income for the upcoming academic year

Documents (to be uploaded digitally)

• Documentation of military service• Only DD214 or a personal service record (Active Reservist or National

Guard applicants may provide alternate military service verification forms. Note: all submitted military service verification forms will undergo validation.)

• Resume • Education• Work • Public service history• Recognitions and awards earned

• Essays• The application will require responses to two essays exploring the

following areas: military and public service motivation and experiences; and educational, career and service ambitions.

• Students must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

How to write a successful

resume and essay Advice & Tips

Modifying Military Jargon

• Although this scholarship is designed for members of the military, you should avoid using excessive jargon. This also applies to general job resumes as well.

Acronyms: Spell them out and consider simplifying them

Examples

• Use “Non-Commissioned Officer” or “Supervisor” rather than “NCO”

• Use the word “Base” rather than “FOB” or “AFB”

Occupational Designator: State your job title rather than the MOS/MOC designator

Examples

• Use “Aircraft Loadmaster” or “Cargo Manager” rather than “1A2X1”

• Use “Infantry Squad Leader” rather than “11B”

Technical terms: Put them into the simplest possible terms

Example

• Use “Operations Department” rather than “S3”

What type of Resume are they looking for?

• Your Resume should highlight these 4 aspects • Education• Work • Public service history• Recognitions and awards earned

Education

• If you have attended a previous post-secondary institution, be sure to list the name, location, degree/program you were in, and the years you attended.

• For military school, create a section called “Additional Education and Training” and list the schools you attended, where they were, and the length of the course. If the name of school is not self-explanatory, describe the program. Also, state why that experience was valuable and any accomplishments you achieved.

• Example:

Warrior Leadership Course, Fort Bliss, TX: February 2012• Two-week course that used experiential learning to teach valuable

skills in leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking• Recognized as “Soldier Leader of the Class” for outstanding

physical and academic performance

Work

• Highlight the positions you held in the military and when you held those positions. Also, provide a brief summary of what each position entailed.

• Be sure to include examples of the following types of skills:• Technical Skills: Military careers such as a telecommunication

technician, financial management technician, mechanic or health care specialist all have closely related civilian careers. The technical skills you developed in your military career should be included in your resume.

• Interpersonal Skills: Working in the military requires working with a variety of personalities, from high-ranking officers to unit commanders, teammates and subordinates. Often, service members must master the art of interacting with supervisors, peers and subordinates to complete a task.

• Leadership Skills: Any leadership experience or training that you acquired in the military is also highly valued on a resume.

Public Service History and Awards

• Public Service should be separate from “Work”• Describe the work you did, who it was for, what

did you achieve and what skills did you use to achieve it?

• Awards• List any awards you received in the military or

prior that highlight your role as a leader and commitment to service

Sample

Resume Writing Sources

• http://www.realwarriors.net/veterans/treatment/civilianresume.php

• http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/09/25/when-it-comes-to-resumes-veterans-should-keep-it-professional/

• http://www.careerhelp.umn.edu/PDFs/Resume%20Writing%20for%20Veterans.pdf

• http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/military-transition/sample-resume-military-to-civilian-transition.html

Essay Writing Tips

• Tip: Try to breakdown the prompt, outlining the answer to each question.

• Tip: Try taking a narrative approach. Sometimes, you can better express your point to a reader by putting them in your shoes rather than explaining to them what it was like.

Advice from Heather Pahman (2013 Tillman Scholar)

“The best advice I can give is to make it personal. Most scholarship

essays consist of having the applicant sell themselves. While you still must sell yourself, you have to make a connection. The board is

made up of human beings who want to invest in other human beings. Appeal to that. Make sure applicants don’t just express the things they have done, but make sure they express what they want to do. The Tillman foundation is looking for game changers, people who recognize the value and impact veterans can have on society and

they want to nurture and grow that. Unlike other scholarships, they don’t really care about your academic prowess or your financial need,

they want to know how YOU will affect change.

This scholarship will change your life, it has changed and is

continually changing mine.”