EFSC Collegiate Veteran s Society Secures Funds for New Scholarships


May 1, 2017

Thanks to a $2,000 donation from Space Coast Chapter 123, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Eastern Florida State College will provide four new scholarships for veterans of the U.S. armed forces starting in Spring Term 2018.

Students in the EFSC Collegiate Veterans Society Club had raised $3,000 to jump-start the scholarship fund.

“The DAV heard about our mission to raise the money and jumped right in to help,” said EFSC's Coordinator of Military & Veteran Services Kim Paige. "We’re so appreciative for the generosity of the DAV, making this dream to help veterans attend college a reality."

Veterans Scholarship Donation
(Pictured L-R): Virginia Zoller, Chapter Service Officer, Space Coast 123 DAV; J.C. Burchette, EFSC Collegiate Veterans Society Club president; Jennie Kriete, EFSC Foundation Director; Bill Benagh, DAV Chapter President; Kim Paige, EFSC Coordinator, Military & Veteran Services; and Tonya Cherry, EFSC Foundation, Donor Relations.

The funds were bequeathed to the DAV's Space Coast Chapter #123 by one of its members who had requested the money be used to help local veterans.

“Helping vets and their families secure the benefits they have earned through their service to the nation is our primary role,” said DAV Chapter President Bill Benagh, who presented the check to the EFSC Foundation on May 1 at the Cocoa Campus Military & Veterans Service Center.

"Space Coast Chapter #123 leads the state in assisting veterans and their families. In 2016 we assisted 3,949 veterans, and that’s just the official number we logged and does not include all those we’ve helped,” said Benagh.

The following four scholarships will be available during both the Spring and Fall terms, beginning Spring 2018.

  • $500 to a veteran with at least a 10 percent disability rating
  • $750 for an EFSC student veteran
  • $500 for an active Collegiate Veterans Society Club member
  • $250 for the dependent of a veteran

“Our whole purpose is to give back to veterans and providing scholarships is the best way we could think of to help our student veterans succeed,” said EFSC Collegiate Veterans Society Club president J.C. Burchette. “Last summer our club was out of money. So we raised funds through the Red, White & Wheels car show, our Spring Wing Thing and a hotdog-sales fundraiser.  We intend to continue to fund raise to keep these scholarships going.”

The application process for the Spring Term 2018 veterans scholarships will begin later this year through the Titan Scholarships online system.

“We’re thrilled to manage these new scholarships for the EFSC Collegiate Veterans Society,” said EFSC Foundation Director Jennie Kriete.