Kirtland Officers’ Spouses’ Club offers scholarships to dependents
By Sheila Rupp, Nucleus
/ Published January 26, 2007
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO -- College is expensive, but the Kirtland Officers' Spouses' Club is trying to help alleviate some of the costs by offering scholarships to dependents.
The KOSC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises funds to sponsor charitable, educational and welfare projects throughout Kirtland Air Force Base and the local community.
The KOSC gives scholarships from $500 to $1,000 to high school seniors, continuing education students or spouses who have not earned a four-year degree. Applicants must have a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and must be planning on attending a four-year college, junior college or vocational school. All applicants must be a dependent of a military member who is active duty, National Guard or Reserve that is stationed here or living within 50 miles of the base. If the sponsor is deceased, the applicant must be able to prove benefits based on the family relationship.
Continuing education students must have completed a minimum of six credit hours at an accredited post-secondary education institution and provide a sealed transcript with the application packet.
Last year, the KOSC gave $5,500 in scholarships to dependents. The organization hopes to give away more than $4,000 in scholarships this year. Jessica Burrous, the KOSC scholarship chair, said that the scholarships are available for dependents of all ranks, including retirees, and all branches of the military, not strictly Air Force dependents.
"The KOSC scholarship is solely for dependents of military members, this is another chance for the community to give back and support the military family," Ms. Burrous said.
Scholarship applicants are judged on SAT and ACT scores, academic honors and awards, school and community involvement, activities, leadership experience, work and volunteer experience, and three letters of recommendation. Applicants will also be judged on a 500-word essay based on the topic "how has your association with the military impacted your life."
Applicants can only receive the KOSC Merit Scholarship once and those who receive other scholarships that pay 100 percent tuition or room and board are not eligible to receive a scholarship from the KOSC.
Application packages are available at area high schools, the thrift shop, the education office, the Mountain View Club and the Airman and Family Readiness Center.
For more information, go to the KOSC Web site, http://kirtlandosc.com/index.php/pages/Scholarships/ or e-mail KirtlandOSC@yahoo.com. All scholarship entries must be postmarked by Feb. 26.