In honor of Veterans Day, the university announced the new Texas A&M Patriot Scholarship to help provide room and board to ROTC-enrolled Corps of Cadets students, whose ROTC scholarships cover their tuition and fees.
A&M announced in a press release on Nov. 11 the university would fund room and board of ROTC students with scholarships totaling $5 million dollars annually over 10 years. Currently, ROTC scholarships cover tuition and fees for over 700 students in the Corps of Cadets, though the students are responsible for covering their living expenses.
The scholarship will go into effect for ROTC students immediately for the fall 2021 semester, thus current students will be refunded for accrued costs.
According to the release, each year the ROTC scholarships are awarded to students in pre-military programs.
“ROTC scholarships are awarded nationally to students who are a part of the Army, Navy/Marine and Air Force/Space Force ROTC programs at Texas A&M,” the release reads. “The school is a designated Senior Military College and provides cadets the opportunity to commission into one of the nation’s five military branches.”
A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said the Patriot Scholarship shows the continued support of military students.
“Not that there was ever any doubt, but the Patriot Scholarship proves that Texas A&M is the most military-friendly university in the country,” Sharp said in the release. “The Texas A&M community always will do whatever it can to support our troops and those preparing to serve our country in the armed forces. Also today, [university President M. Katherine] Banks showed us her strong commitment to the Corps of Cadets.”
Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr., interim vice president for the Division of Student Affairs and former commandant of the Corps, said the cadets have a long history of military service.
“Texas A&M’s commitment of these scholarships is a testament to their strong support of that legacy, and the young men and women in our Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs today who will one day become the next generation of military leaders,” Ramirez said in the release.
Looking to increase the number of students in the Corps from 2,100 to 3,000, interim Corps Commandant Col. Byron Stebbins said he believes the increase in funding opportunities will draw more students to the Corps program.
“The university’s commitment of additional scholarship dollars significantly enhances the Corps’ ability to attract high-quality students who have an interest in serving their country,” Stebbins said in the release. “This support will allow our ROTC programs to do what Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets have done for 145 years, and that’s produce leaders prepared to serve our communities, state and nation.”
