only 3 months left to apply for scholarships > Air Force Materiel Command > View article

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – There are less than 100 days left to apply for the Department of Defense’s little-known 2024 Military Service Program scholarship.

The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program offers three types of grants, with applications closing on December 6. The goal is to recruit, train, employ and develop the Department of Defense’s future civilian STEM workforce.

Jamie Mize, 96th Test Support Squadron Talent Acquisition Program Manager, reiterated that the program’s vision is to develop pathways for a diverse, technically proficient and innovative talent pool needed to maintain the technological edge of the Department of Defense workforce and be ready to meet U.S. national security requirements.

The scholarships are:

SMART Scholarship: For students who are currently enrolled in a college or university or who have already earned college credits and are pursuing an additional degree.

Dellums Memorial SMART Scholarship: For students without previous university degrees who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Retention ScholarshipThis scholarship is for individuals currently employed by the U.S. Department of Defense who are pursuing a degree in a STEM field.

Eglin’s own Zachary Pannell, a member of the 782nd Test Squadron, is a scholarship recipient. Currently, his tuition is 100% covered by the program. Pannell said that even with civilian student aid, he had to pay out-of-pocket costs for certain courses before the SMART scholarship.

Pannell added that another benefit of the program is the ability to focus on school. Participants in the SMART program can place a high emphasis on schoolwork and graduation in their work center while still supporting the unit in some capacity.

The electronics engineer also recommended the program for continuing education. He said studying at a higher level provides more detailed insight into the subject matter and provides more workplace knowledge about topics that may never be covered in an undergraduate program.

“I feel like my program at NC State is giving me a knowledge base that I enjoy but that also has application in my work environment,” said Pannell, who will graduate from the program in December. “All of these benefits combined make participating in this program a wonderful and successful experience.”

Pannell offered some tips on the SMART application process for anyone considering applying:

1. Start as soon as possible
   The three letters of recommendation and the letter of support require someone else’s time, and they should be given ample time to complete them and not feel pressured to meet the December deadline, Pannell said.
2. Be open to opportunities within the scholarship program to retain applicants.
   Applicants may be offered multiple options in their application, so they may have phone interviews with other units offering a scholarship, he added.
3. Think about a school when you apply.
   
   It will help with paperwork in the long run, Pannell said.

​To learn more about the program and to apply, please follow the link.