Corvias Foundation Awards $90,000 Scholarships to Military Spouses

Scholarship program provides funding to help address military spouse unemployment rate

EAST GREENWICH, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Corvias Foundation today announced it has granted scholarships to 18 military spouses, each of whom is pursuing a higher education degree. The recipients, who make up the 2022 scholarship class, are spouses of active-duty service members stationed at a Corvias-supported installation. Each spouse will receive a one-time scholarship of $5,000 to help them in their educational pursuit. Corvias Foundation, which has awarded more than $15 million to more than 500 military dependents, is a private foundation founded by Corvias Chairman John Picerne to support education opportunities for military families.

“Corvias Foundation was founded to support and empower the military family community, which faces significant and unique challenges that arise from the nature of the industry,” said Executive Director Maria Montalvo. “Military spouses in particular face incredibly high unemployment rates and wage gaps. Frequent moves, deployments, childcare needs and more are obstacles that contribute to their career challenges. We established this scholarship program to combat these hardships and help military spouses earn a degree that will help provide for their families and their own professional future.”

Scholarship funds can be used by recipients for expenses associated with receiving their degrees, such as transportation to class, childcare, school fees and more.

Joan Rosado, a Fort Bragg military spouse recipient, described the unique qualities military spouses embody, as well as the opportunities this scholarship presents.

“To be a military spouse embodies the terms resilience, commitment, and adaptability,” said Rosado. “It consists of holding down the home front, understanding the inconsistencies of their demanding careers, and being willing to sacrifice in all areas of life. Nevertheless, being a military spouse has been one of the greatest honors and joys I have experienced. I am grateful for the opportunities this scholarship will provide as I pursue higher education. I am also grateful for my husband’s service, which opened the opportunity to accept this scholarship.”

“Military spouses are a versatile group of people,” added Fort Meade scholarship recipient, Brinay Prashain. “Our lifestyle sometimes limits the choices we can make, but we will always find a way to overcome obstacles and be productive for our families.”

The 2022 military spouse scholarship recipients represent the 16^th consecutive class to participate in this program. The scholars will be studying a wide range of specialties, including accounting, nursing, interior design, cybersecurity and more. To learn more about Corvias Foundation’s mission and work, visit www.corviasfoundation.org.

2022 Scholarship Recipients:

Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

Nicole Govan plans to study nursing at Harford Community College. After working at Apple for five years, Nicole would like to transition to a nursing profession and in doing so, set a positive example for her daughter.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Lori Stahlberg has been in dentistry for more than 17 years, working as a dental hygienist while attending college full-time for accounting at North Carolina State University. She aspires to put a certificate of public accounting to work at an organization that will positively impact her community.

Katie Mook is a registered nurse who is pursuing her master’s degree with a specialty in family practice at George Washington University. Her free-time passions include international travel, scuba diving and playing the piano.

Madeline Carter is a transfer student from Southern Illinois University to Western Governors University, where she is studying for her elementary education degree. She is in her second semester of the program and plans to graduate in the Spring of 2023.

Luafalealii Evans will be finishing her bachelor’s in nursing from Fayetteville State University. She believes it is important for military spouses to maintain an individual identity while continuing to support their spouse’s mission.

Bobbie Nicolas is pursuing an associate degree in Nursing at Fayetteville Technical Community College with a long-term goal is to receive a bachelor’s in nursing. She also hopes to fulfill a desire to help others in a neonatal intensive care unit or through pediatric home health.

Savannah West has a passion for interior design. She is enrolled at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, where she is expected to graduate in 2023.

Mechelle Champion is dedicated to her family and friends, loves walks, reading and learning new things. She is enrolled at Fayetteville Technical Community College and intends to become a surgical technician.

Kelsey McCann is originally from California but recently moved to North Carolina after being stationed in England for almost four years. While in England, she adopted travel as a new favorite hobby, visiting more than 21 countries. She is currently studying at Campbell University to become a physician assistant.

Joan Rosado is a primary school teacher who is passionate about education. Her undergraduate degrees are in special education and rehabilitation with an emphasis on deaf studies, as well as in Spanish and Portuguese. She has been working with children for six years while also attending post-graduate school for three. She is currently studying curriculum and instruction at Southern New Hampshire University.

Melanie Johnsoncook is a mother of three who has worked in the medical field for almost nine years. She is planning on taking courses at Creighton University at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center to complete her second bachelor’s degree, which will include a concentration in nursing.

Belkis Lopez has been a Registered Nurse for five years. She plans to pursue a master’s degree at the Chamberlain College of Nursing – Chicago and ultimately become a nurse practitioner.

Nyara Allen, who has two children under the age of two, is studying to receive her associate degree in nursing. She then plans to attend Fayetteville State University to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree to eventually become a certified nursing midwife. She looks forward to someday opening her own practice to provide women with more birthing options.

Cyd Marie RamÌrez Collazo is a student at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. Earlier this year, she was admitted to the undergraduate program for biology. She has conducted research on the taxonomy of invertebrates from mesophotic coral reefs of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and is a member of the Biology National Honor Society, Zeta Alpha Chapter.

Stephanie Mathis plans to get an associate degree in medical office billing and coding before continuing on to receive her bachelor’s. She is thankful for the opportunity to go back to school in her 40s and looks forward to working in an office as part of a team for which she can be proud.

Fort Meade, Maryland

Brinay Prashain is studying cybersecurity at Old Dominion University. She enjoys studying foreign languages and is currently learning Nepali and Korean.

Fort Polk, Louisiana

Kathryn Driskell is pursuing a degree in legal studies with the American Public University System. At 37 with three children at home, Kathryn decided to continue her education, and has earned a 3.9 grade point average and Dean’s List three times in two years.

Fort Riley, Kansas

Shania Lewis has a passion for information security. She is enrolled at Texas A&M University, Central Texas, where she is studying computer information systems with a concentration in cybersecurity. She loves yoga, walks with her dog and spending time with her family.

About Corvias Foundation

Corvias Foundation is committed to inspiring students, college and university campuses and military families to reach higher. Founded in 2006, our work increases access to educational, internship, mentoring and volunteer opportunities so that those we touch are empowered to pursue their dreams and to make a greater impact in service to their communities and their nation. We strive to create ever-increasing opportunities by providing the resources and networks needed to help our scholars and partners surpass their goals. We achieve this through a commitment to education, community engagement and high-impact charitable giving. To learn more, please visit: corviasfoundation.org.

Contacts

Media Contact:

Christina Chase, Corvias

401.541.3349

Christina.Chase@Corvias.com