MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- A Marine Corps Base Hawaii spouse will be furthering her education with extra financial support this coming year.
Brittany Abshire, of Ardmore, Okla., was awarded $4,000 through the Argosy University Scholarship Opportunity for Marine Corps-Affiliated Personnel.
“I’m very excited and thankful for this scholarship,” Abshire said. “It is such a blessing.”
The Marine spouse and mother of one currently attends school full time and works as an independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay.
She was awarded the scholarship for an essay she wrote about what she has learned from being around Marine Corps culture.
“(Being a Marine Corps spouse) has taught me to be a successful college student (as well as a) business professional including future career goals and how furthering my education at Argosy University would benefit me,” Abshire said.
Abshire will attend Argosy University during the 2014 summer term. By May 2014, she plans to complete her associate’s degree in criminal justice from Coastline Community College and her bachelor’s degree by May 2016. After completing her education, Abshire said she hopes to work for the Office of Personnel Management.
When she’s not busy with school or her family, Abshire enjoys hiking, visiting the beach, refurbishing furniture, going to church and making crafts.
She spends an average of 20 hours devoted to school a week, taking four classes each half semester at the school she currently attends. She takes her courses online in order to care for her son. The couple also sponsors a child through a nonprofit organization called Compassion Industries.
Other financial aid opportunities are available for service members and spouses currently attending school.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available for students to complete and apply for federal aid. The FAFSA website is available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
“Everybody should submit the FAFSA,” said Craig Lockwood, the education services officer at the Education Center.
Lockwood said many scholarship applications require applicants to submit a student aid report, obtained by completing the FAFSA.
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Account awards eligible spouses up to $4,000 in financial aid for school. The link to register for MyCAA can be found at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/Default.aspx.
Service members may be eligible to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill financial aid to their dependents. Contact information and a link to the application can be found at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ website at the following link: https://www.va.gov/education/transfer-post-9-11-gi-bill-benefits/.
Wayland Baptist University recently created two scholarships in honor of Loretta Cornett-Huff, the command education services officer who worked at Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Education Center for 20 years, and recently passed away. The Loretta Cornett-Huff Memorial Scholarship awards two $1,000 scholarships to a service member ranking E-5 and below and one service member ranking E-6 and above. The deadline for the E-5 and below scholarship has been extended to Dec. 20.
“A little effort can equal a lot of money,” Lockwood said. “The money you’re going to get back from scholarships is equal to the time and effort you’re willing to put into it.”
Service members and spouses can go to the Education Center to find more information on current scholarships available. For more information, call 257-2158. The Education Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.