02 September 2013

Scholarships for Military Dependents



A Texas Program for Veterans

Veterans who are returning home to Texas are in for a lot of luck. Recently, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced that they awarding over $1 million to financially support the College Credit For Heroes workforce development grant at over nine different colleges and universities throughout Texas. This workforce development grant, launched in 2011, was created to help translate the skills and knowledge of military servicemen and servicewomen into college course credit. This is done to allow easy transition into the workforce.

Texas Governor Rick Perry believes that expanding this program will help returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan find ease when looking for jobs. Expanding this program allows servicemen to quickly obtain degrees and certifications that make them easily employable after leaving the military. Transitioning from civilian life after spending years away from home can be rough for some. However, programs like College Credit for Heroes creates sustainable workforce re-entry pathways for those who are serving the country overseas.

Central Texas College has played an integral role in expanding the program. They developed the College Credit for Heroes web portal, CollegeCreditforHeroes.org; a site that allows veterans to connect with variety of partner higher education institutions in Texas. Texas is home to over 400,000 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans and they have the experience and skill-set necessary to readily enter the workforce. Programs like this give veterans the opportunity to connect with employers immediately after leaving service and start a new civilian life.

Whether or not you are a Texas resident - there are other resources you should consider after returning home from overseas. For starters, the US Department of Education is a great resource to scour in order to look for scholarships, fellowships and other funding opportunities to go back to school. There is even the possibility to find a
scholarship for military dependents. If are a serviceman or servicewoman with teenagers on the verge of going to college; there are funding opportunities available through various nonprofit agencies that provide transition counseling services to veterans and their families.

Also, the Obama Administration has taken great steps to reduce student debt, especially for those who have served in the armed forces. Veterans have the opportunity to seek student loan forgiveness for pursuing careers in the military and other nonprofit organizations. Also, veterans should look into state-based scholarship programs. States like New York and Illinois provide education assistance to veterans and their families.