Call to Duty Scholarships

Across the country, high school students interested in serving in the military have the opportunity to receive 3 and 4-year ROTC scholarships. These scholarships pay for much of the cost to attend any school in the country, with one notable exception: room and board. A sizeable expense at any institution, an ROTC scholarship recipient attending VMI could expect to pay nearly $44,000 out of pocket to cover room and board for four years.

To persuade ROTC students to attend, many schools have started offering scholarships to fill that gap. In fact, other senior military colleges have had these programs in place for years. Over time, those schools have been able to recruit prospective cadets who might have preferred to attend VMI, but chose not to because another school covered all the costs related to their education.

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Coming to VMI from San Bruno, California, Ben Fong knew that he wanted to serve in the military—but with an unstable housing situation in his senior year of high school, Fong knew he’d be on the hook for any costs not covered by his ROTC scholarship. At first, attending an out-of-state school like VMI seemed like too much of a stretch, but he persevered. “That was the biggest worry [in] applying for colleges,” Fong related. “If I got accepted to these colleges, how would I actually be able to attend? … I was just really hoping that I could figure out the math behind the money.”

Now in his first year at VMI with plans to commission into the U.S. Marine Corps, Fong learned of a way forward he’d never imagined when he heard about the Call to Duty Scholarships. And, when he heard he’d been selected based on his merits and potential, the relief and gratitude were overwhelming. “I was thinking, man, they really care about their scholarship students,” said Fong. “So, I just thought, wow, I haven’t gotten to the school yet, and they’re already thinking about me.”

A VMI education often offers lasting value for generations of graduates. And, while finances play a huge role in enrollment decisions for families, when we level the playing field related to funding, VMI quickly rises to the top choice given its national reputation.

In addition to your current loyal support, a new gift to CTD will create an opportunity for families whose cadets choose to take on the challenges and enjoy the benefits of a VMI diploma. Let’s help them get there.