National University’s Military Appreciation Day Taking Place July 26 at Petco Park; Scholarships represent portion of the more than $10 million the University provides annually for its military and Veteran students
San Diego, Calif. – July 24 , 2015 –Recognizing the many contributions of the military community, National University and the San Diego Padres will honor ten recipients of the National University Military Scholarship at the July 26th San Diego Padres game at Petco Park against the Miami Marlins. The recognitions are part of the University’s Military Appreciation Day, which includes a hosted reception for members of the military community and other activities that underscore the value of supporting ongoing education opportunities for Veterans and military personnel.
The event and scholarships come from a partnership between the San Diego Padres and National University that makes National University – the 2nd largest private, nonprofit university in California – the exclusive higher education partner of the San Diego Padres.
Since the jointly-funded National University Military Scholarship was started last year, $40,000 has been distributed to currently enrolled National University students who live in San Diego, are active duty military or Veterans, and who have demonstrated sustained educational success.
The scholarships represent a portion of the more than $10 million each year the University provides in scholarships, tuition reductions and other support services for its military and Veteran students. As part of the recognitions, an Honorary First Pitch will also be made by Veteran Ben Holmes, a first Sergeant with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force who has two Purple Hearts and is preparing for a career in the education profession. Through National University, Mr. Holmes has earned degrees in History and Education, and he has been awarded a full scholarship to start an Ed.D program with City University of Seattle, part of the National University System, in the Fall.
The event underscores the importance of ongoing education opportunities for members of the military community. An estimated 1 million members of the U.S. armed forces will be transitioning to civilian life in upcoming years. San Diego County already is the third-largest county in the United States in terms of Veteran residents, according to a report by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the County of San Diego.
About 24 percent of National University’s students are prior service or active military, and the University’s hybrid educational format is designed to provide them with the flexibility they need to take classes at military bases, campus locations or online. The University also recently launched a special accelerated track for Veterans with medical training to earn their nursing degrees, the Accelerated Track for Vets to BSN (V2BSN) Project. Furthermore, National University offers extensive academic support services to its military population through its Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success
“We are dedicated to ensuring the military community has access to quality educational programs and we are proud to be partners with the San Diego Padres in celebrating their accomplishments,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, President of National University and Chancellor of the National University System. “We are pleased to be honoring these exceptional student scholarship winners and the military community they represent.”
The July 26 event will include a special reception hosted by National University for more than 400 members of the military community, as well as for students and alumni who have military backgrounds. National University is also contributing funds for another military-focused scholarship opportunity – the Veterans Victory Scholarship – every time a ball is hit into a designated area during Padres home games.
“National University’s commitment to supporting ongoing education opportunities for our local service men and women is right in line with the Padres’ longstanding military appreciation efforts,” said Padres President and CEO Mike Dee. “We look forward to this weekend, when we will join National University in recognizing and thanking these military scholarship recipients and their families.”
About National University
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California. With 30,000 students and more than 230,000 alumni, National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse population of students. Five schools and one college – the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies – offer more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 23 teacher credentials. Programs are offered at locations throughout California and across the nation, and are also available online. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California.
Media contact:
Anna Cearley
Director of Public Relations
858-642-8163
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