One way that the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (VMA) at The University of Alabama (UA) supports students is by coordinating with the University and external partners to award scholarships to student veterans, service members, dependents, family members or survivors. On Sept. 8, 2023, the VMA hosted a scholarship ceremony that awarded seven bright, motivated students at the Capstone for their accomplishments both in and out of the classroom.
Chevron Scholarship
The Chevron Corporation Excellence in Engineering Scholarship began at the Capstone in 2015. Every year since, Chevron has awarded $15,000 in scholarships to UA, and $2,000 of this is delegated to a military-affiliated student from the VMA who is studying mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering or civil engineering. This scholarship was not awarded for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic; because of this, the VMA awarded the funding to multiple students this year. This year’s six recipients of the Chevron Corporation Excellence in Engineering Scholarship are (from left to right):
- Alexander Davidson
- Thomas Connell
- Brett Grady
- Kelvin Hutchinson
- Carrington Mills
- Justin Kirby
These students are each excellent representatives of their majors and the VMA.
Willcher Family Scholarship
The Willcher Family Veteran and Military Affairs Scholarship was established in 2021 by Mrs. Shirley Willcher. This generous scholarship from the Willcher family is primarily awarded to student veterans who were honorably discharged, students who are a current military service member or a student dependent of a military service member. This year’s recipient of the Willcher Family Veteran and Military Affairs Scholarship is Emma Till (second from left). Emma spoke briefly on how this scholarship benefits her, saying, “I’m thankful for the Willcher Scholarship because it’s helping me complete the rest of my college here at UA.” Emma is from Clanton, Alabama and is the dependent of a retired Army Command Sergeant Major.
Generous External Support
It’s thanks to the generosity from the Chevron Corporation and the Willcher Family, as well as the hard-working faculty and staff members at the VMA, that these students can continue pursuing excellence here at UA. The Division of Student Life remains committed to supporting the students of UA and is always grateful to our external partners for their continued support.
