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The President’s Partners at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) again offered their support of $2000, which was matched by the Mid-America Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), for a total of $4000 to provide scholarships for veterans at NEO. The scholarship was established to support the River Bottom Annual Hunt for Disabled Veterans, which is held in Miami each year. Four $1000 scholarships are awarded and can be used for tuition, fees, books, as well as room and board. “The President’s Partners are dedicated to supporting NEO students through scholarships,” says Jennifer Walker, executive director of the NEO Development Foundation. “It is an honor to provide this financial support to students who have served our country.”

(From left: President’s Partners Tom and Lou Berry, scholarship recipient Jonathan Goodwin, Jamie Williams, Jack Dalrymple, scholarship recipients Jonathan Woods and Michelle Thomas, Mark Osborn, NEO Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Walker. Front: Bill Kokendoffer)

This program represents a beautiful partnership,” said Jack Dalrymple, president of the River Bottom Sportsmen. “Our program is grassroots and we have over four hundred people sharing in a way that is on their heart. It has grown from more than just a community project into a multi-state effort of people doing what is right.” Mr. Dalrymple also shared the importance of the scholarships that the partnership provides. “As our program has grown, NEO has been involved from day one. We see the extreme value the college brings to the community, and what better way to work together than to provide scholarships for some of our veterans and their families. I am proud to be a part of this.”

NEO sophomores, Jonathan Goodwin, Jonathan Woods, Tanya Pennington, and Michelle Thomas were selected as this year’s recipients. The students were honored at a banquet held in conjunction with the annual hunt. Goodwin is from Sapulpa and has served in both the Navy and the Army. In the Navy, he served on the U.S.S. Saratoga during Operation Desert Storm. He is a nursing major with a 4.0 GPA. Woods is from Tustin, Calif. and served two years in the Navy as an aviation electrician. He is majoring in computer science and has a 3.68 GPA and recently placed first in the job interview competition at the Phi Beta Lambda Business Club’s state competition. Pennington is from Vinita and she served ten years in the Army, with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She served as a combat medic and is currently a sophomore in the Physical Therapist Assistant program, with a 4.0 GPA. Thomas is an accounting major from Fairland. She served active duty in the army from 1996 to 1999 and in the reserves until 2004. She currently has a 4.0 GPA.

First preference of criteria for the scholarship is active and retired military personnel; second preference is given to dependents (spouse/children) of active and retired military personnel; and final preference is given to extended family members of active and retired military personnel. The recipient must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in at least 6 hours. Special consideration will be given to students enrolled in an online course that is less than 6 hours. For more information or to apply for the scholarship, please contact Walker in the NEO Foundation Office at 918-540-6250.