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Pat Tillman Foundation Scholarship Program

Applications open February 2024

2023 TILLMAN SCHOLAR INFORMATION

2022 USF Tillman Scholar - Rio Tate

Founded in 2004, the Pat Tillman Foundation invests in military veterans and their spouses through academic scholarships – building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others.

The scholars chosen show extraordinary academic and leadership potential, a true sense of vocation, and a deep commitment to create positive change through their work in the fields of medicine, law, business, policy, technology, education and the arts.

The Tillman Foundation currently has over 520 scholars, has provided over $15,000,000 in academic scholarships, and the scholars attend over 100 different colleges and universities.

ABOUT 2022 TILLMAN SCHOLAR RIO TATE

The University of South Florida is one of only 15 universities in the nation selected by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a Partnership University. This means that our student veterans and dependents only compete against partnership school applicants to be named a Tillman Scholar and receive a generous scholarship. USF has averaged three scholarships per year, although we have received as many as four. Currently, we have had 17 Tillman scholars with some students receiving as much as $40,000 over a four year period.

If you are interested in applying, the application period is traditionally the month of February. The Office of Veteran Success (OVS) will send out notices via email to student veterans on our mail list. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND students make an appointment with an OVS staff member prior to submitting their final application. Call 813-974-2291 for an appointment.

Who is eligible for this scholarship?

Veteran 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 Reserve.
Spouses of active or veteran service members, including surviving spouses.
Service member or spouse seeking assistance to pursue an undergraduate (Bachelor's), graduate, or post-graduate degree as a full-time student at a public or private U.S.-based accredited institution.

TILLMAN SCHOLARS ARE CHOSEN BASED UPON THE CRITERIA BELOW.

SERVICE: Dedicated to service beyond self, in and out of uniform
SCHOLARSHIP: A lifelong learner, passionate about intellectual growth
HUMBLE LEADERSHIP: Selflessly committed to leading by example
IMPACT: Determined to unite others and advance ideas that change the world

What do I need to submit with my application?

The application will require responses to two essay questions. Prepare your responses and copy and paste them into the online application. Each response must be no more than 400 words. Visit the Pat Tillman Foundation http://pattillmanfoundation.org/ to view the questions.

The following documents will need to be uploaded in a digital file format:

Documentation of military service (only DD 214 or a personal service record, i.e. Officer Record Brief, Enlistment Record Brief, Basic Individual Record, Personal Data Record, Performance Summary Record, Report on Individual Personnel will be accepted)
Résumé (including education, work, public service history, recognitions and awards earned)

How much is the award amount if I am chosen as a Tillman Scholar?

Each award amount is determined on a case by case basis and is intended to meet each applicant's unique need. The exact amount will be based on individual financial need and the strength of application in comparison to the overall pool. On average for this year, award funds will be $10,000 per scholar per year.