Military spouse scholarships expanding at Georgia Southern University
Katie Sabitov started her college career 11 years ago, but her pre-med track was put on hold while she and her husband, Andrew, traveled the world with the Army. Now, they live with their two children in Richmond Hill, Georgia. Andrew works at Fort Stewart and Katie is enrolled at Georgia Southern to finish her nursing degree.
She is one of nine recipients of a military spouse scholarship from the Georgia Southern University Foundation with the support of The Landings Military Family Relief Fund. She said receiving this scholarship means a lot to her and her family.
“I'm really proud to be a military spouse, and I'm really grateful that they’re honoring the sacrifice of not only the service member, but the families and the spouses,” Sabitov said. “We have to put a lot of stuff on hold all the time, but we're proud of our service members and the service and sacrifice that they honor. It's really nice to be honored as well.”
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, military spouses have a 25% unemployment rate and military families make 25% less than civilian families. However, it’s not for a lack of trying. Seventy-seven percent of military spouses said they want and need a career.
Cue Eagle Nation, one of the strongest military-friendly universities in the country.
What makes this round of awards stand out is the rapid growth in the number of recipients and amounts offered. In less than a year, the number of students receiving this scholarship increased from four to nine, and the total award pool increased from $10,000 to $15,000.
George Fredrick, Ed.D., director of Military and Veteran Services, said interest and competition for the scholarship has increased.
“One of the most important - yet forgotten - pieces of the military family is the spouse,” said Fredrick. “When spouses start their higher education journey and their family receives orders to transfer, they sometimes cannot finish their degree at their initial institution. This presents unique hardships for these students, so anything we can do to stabilize and support their home is good for the service member, veteran and the entire family."
He continued, "At Georgia Southern University, we see and understand the challenges of military spouses, and are here to support you. A great general once said, 'We enlist the soldier, but we reenlist the family.'"
The following students were awarded these scholarships for the Georgia Southern Fall 2022 Term and/or awarded a stipend to pay for textbooks and supplies:
- Kristian Weems-Giles - B.S. Health Science - Armstrong Campus - Sophomore
- Kimberly Pavlovich - B.S. in Education - Liberty Campus - Senior
- Ibukun Adedokun - B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science - Armstrong Campus - Senior
- Jazmin Garcia - B.S. Health Science - Liberty Campus - Freshman
- Richard Rubalcaba - BBA Marketing - Armstrong Campus - Sophomore
- Amanda Bradley - B.S. Psychology - Liberty Campus - Senior
- Kimberlee Wellington - B.S. in Nursing - Armstrong Campus - Senior
- Katie Sabitov - B.S. in Nursing - Armstrong Campus - Senior
- Kayejah Rogers - AS Core Curriculum - Liberty Campus - Junior
Jazmin Garcia was born in Los Angeles in a military family. Her father served in the Army while she was growing up. The family moved around a lot, but the family settled in Houston, Texas. That’s where she met her high school sweetheart, Albert.
Garcia called the scholarship and the opportunity to pursue her career a “blessing.” When she completes her health science undergraduate degree, she intends to pursue a master’s and doctoral degree.
“There's no ceiling,” Garcia said. “What I hope to show is that not only can your dreams be achieved at a later age with a family, but you can also go all over the country and achieve your goals.”
Garcia's family has a wall where military medals and other awards are displayed, and she plans to hang her scholarship check on that wall.
Georgia Southern University has a strong and proud history of supporting veterans, current serving military personnel and their families, and has accumulated many awards for its dedication to this community of proud men and women. Information and resources are available on the Military and Veteran Services webpage.
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