The Pat
Tillman
Military
Scholars
Program
The Pat Tillman Foundation
http://pattillmanfoundat
ion.org/who-we-are
About Pat Tillman
• Pat Tillman was an NFL player with the Arizona
Cardinals. In 2002, Pat left the NFL to serve in the
U.S. Army.
• Following Pat’s death in 2004, while serving with the
U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan, his
family and friends established the Pat Tillman
foundation in his honor.
The Foundation
• Founded in 2008, the Tillman Military Scholars
program supports our nation’s active-duty service
members, veterans and military spouses by investing in
their higher education. Since the program’s inception,
the Foundation has invested over $4.1 million in
scholarships for 290 scholars nationwide.
• There are only 15 university partners for the Pat Tillman
Scholarship…GW became a partner in 2013.
The Scholars
• The scholarship covers educational expenses, including
tuition and fees, books and living stipend. But scholars
receive much more than just funding.
• The program unites the best talent and leadership in the
military to make a significant, positive impact on our
country and our local communities.
• The scholars chosen reflect Pat’s values, strength of
character and commitment to service. They demonstrate
extraordinary academic and leadership potential and a
deep desire to impact change through their studies in the
fields of medicine, law, business, government, education
and the arts.
Who is eligible?
• Veterans and active duty military service-members
• Of both pre- and post-9/11 service
• From all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, including service in the
National Guard and Reserves
• Spouses of active or veteran service-members
• Including surviving spouses
• Service-member or spouse seeking assistance to pursue an
undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree as a fulltime student at a public or private U.S. based institution
Benefits of being a
Scholar
• Access to the Tillman Community and leadership opportunities within the
network
• Invitation to the annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL
• Entry to the annual Pat’s Run in Tempe, AZ, or Shadow Runs nationwide
• Invitation to premier partner conferences including Inc. 500/5000, Clinton
Global Initiative University, and the Student Veterans of America Summit
• Access to Fortune 500 veteran affinity groups and talent acquisition networks
• Participation in groundbreaking research studies in the veterans and military
community
• Opportunities to lead and volunteer with veteran partner organizations including
Team Rubicon, The Mission Continues, and Team RWB
• Highlights of your stories, studies and service efforts on the Pat Tillman
Foundation website and social media
Expectations of
Scholars
• Maintain a full-time student status;
• Maintain a high academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher);
• Report to the Pat Tillman Foundation when requested
(completing surveys); and
• Meet expectations of high moral character and leadership
• Attend the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit and other
Foundation events in your region
• Active engagement in the Tillman Community, with
significant contribution as a thought leader, spokesperson
and ambassador
Renewability of the
Scholarship
Annual funding renewability will be considered for most scholars based on:
• Meeting expected graduation date
• Proof of full-time student status and minimum 3.0 GPA earned
• Tillman Community engagement as a thought leader
• Documented participation in service
• Accountability for use of scholarship funds
• All criteria must be met in order to be renewed. Review of renewal status is
conducted each June by the Foundation.
• Students who have to extend their expected graduation date must provide proof
of extenuating circumstances.
• Tillman Military Scholars are expected to maintain full-time enrollment in a U.S.
accredited institution unless they are assuming part-time status during the
semester they will graduate.
• Scholarship funding can only be used toward a single post-secondary degree.
The Application
Process
• Students can apply online at
http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/apply-to-be-ascholar
Criteria
• Educational and career ambitions
• Record of military service
• Motivation for serving
• Record of personal achievement
• Demonstration of service to others in the community
• Desire to continue to serve others and make a positive impact on your
community
• Leadership potential
• Compelling, thoughtful, genuine and thorough essay question responses
Required
Information
• Basic contact information
• Military service history
• Educational history and enrollment
plans
• Expected academic/living expenses and
income for the upcoming academic year
Documents (to be
uploaded digitally)
• Documentation of military service
• Only DD214 or a personal service record (Active Reservist or National Guard
applicants may provide alternate military service verification forms. Note: all
submitted military service verification forms will undergo validation.)
• Resume
•
•
•
•
Education
Work
Public service history
Recognitions and awards earned
• Essays
• The application will require responses to two essays exploring the following areas:
military and public service motivation and experiences; and educational, career and
service ambitions.
• Students must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA)
How to write a
successful
resume and essay
Advice & Tips
Modifying Military
Jargon
•
Although this scholarship is designed for members of the military, you should avoid using
excessive jargon. This also applies to general job resumes as well.
Acronyms: Spell them out and consider simplifying them
Examples
•
Use “Non-Commissioned Officer” or “Supervisor” rather than “NCO”
•
Use the word “Base” rather than “FOB” or “AFB”
Occupational Designator: State your job title rather than the MOS/MOC designator
Examples
•
Use “Aircraft Loadmaster” or “Cargo Manager” rather than “1A2X1”
•
Use “Infantry Squad Leader” rather than “11B”
Technical terms: Put them into the simplest possible terms
Example
•
Use “Operations Department” rather than “S3”
What type of Resume are
they looking for?
• Your Resume should highlight these 4 aspects
•
•
•
•
Education
Work
Public service history
Recognitions and awards earned
Education
• If you have attended a previous post-secondary institution, be sure
to list the name, location, degree/program you were in, and the
years you attended.
• For military school, create a section called “Additional Education
and Training” and list the schools you attended, where they were,
and the length of the course. If the name of school is not selfexplanatory, describe the program. Also, state why that experience
was valuable and any accomplishments you achieved.
• Example:
Warrior Leadership Course, Fort Bliss, TX: February 2012
• Two-week course that used experiential learning to teach valuable
skills in leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking
• Recognized as “Soldier Leader of the Class” for outstanding physical
and academic performance
Work
• Highlight the positions you held in the military and when you held
those positions. Also, provide a brief summary of what each
position entailed.
• Be sure to include examples of the following types of skills:
• Technical Skills: Military careers such as a telecommunication
technician, financial management technician, mechanic or health care
specialist all have closely related civilian careers. The technical skills you
developed in your military career should be included in your resume.
• Interpersonal Skills: Working in the military requires working with a
variety of personalities, from high-ranking officers to unit commanders,
teammates and subordinates. Often, service members must master the
art of interacting with supervisors, peers and subordinates to complete a
task.
• Leadership Skills: Any leadership experience or training that you
acquired in the military is also highly valued on a resume.
Public Service
History and Awards
• Public Service should be separate from “Work”
• Describe the work you did, who it was for, what did you
achieve and what skills did you use to achieve it?
• Awards
• List any awards you received in the military or prior that
highlight your role as a leader and commitment to service
Sample
Resume Writing
Sources
• http://www.realwarriors.net/veterans/treatment/civili
anresume.php
• http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/09/25/when-itcomes-to-resumes-veterans-should-keep-itprofessional/
• http://www.careerhelp.umn.edu/PDFs/Resume%20
Writing%20for%20Veterans.pdf
• http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/careeradvice/military-transition/sample-resume-military-tocivilian-transition.html
Essay Writing Tips
• Tip: Try to breakdown the prompt, outlining the
answer to each question.
• Tip: Try taking a narrative approach. Sometimes, you
can better express your point to a reader by putting
them in your shoes rather than explaining to them
what it was like.
Advice from Heather Pahman
(2013 Tillman Scholar)
“
The best advice I can give is to make it personal. Most scholarship
essays consist of having the applicant sell themselves. While you still must
sell yourself, you have to make a connection. The board is made up of
human beings who want to invest in other human beings. Appeal to that.
Make sure applicants don’t just express the things they have done, but make
sure they express what they want to do. The Tillman foundation is looking
for game changers, people who recognize the value and impact veterans can
have on society and they want to nurture and grow that. Unlike other
scholarships, they don’t really care about your academic prowess or your
financial need, they want to know how YOU will affect change.
This scholarship will change your life, it has changed and is continually
”
changing mine.