UofM Accepts Folds of Honor Scholarship as Payment in Full for Tuition in Commitment to Families of Fallen Veterans

January 22, 2019 -The University of Memphis announced that it is accepting the Folds of Honor scholarship, a $5,000 annual award, as payment in full for tuition. The Folds of Honor scholarship supports higher education for spouses and children of America's fallen and disabled service members. The UofM is the first institution of higher learning nationally to partner with Folds of Honor.

The announcement reaffirms the UofM's commitment to educational scholarships for the families of military members who have been killed or severely disabled in action.

"Freedom is not free," said Maj. Dan Rooney, CEO/founder of Folds of Honor and an F-16 fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Rooney was inspired to take action when, after his second tour of duty, he was on a commercial flight carrying the remains of an Army corporal killed in Iraq. Observing the young soldier's family, "I witnessed the other side of war that day," Rooney said. "In the U.S., there are 1.5 million dependents of service members who have been killed or disabled. Nine out of 10 of those don't get educational assistance. We want to make sure we don't leave their families behind on the field of honor."

“I couldn't be prouder of our community," UofM President M. David Rudd said of the initiative. "My hope is that universities across the country will step forward and do the very same thing."

Twenty-seven UofM students have benefited from the Folds of Honor Scholarship; six more recently were awarded the scholarship. Since it was established, the Folds of Honor Foundation has awarded some 20,000 scholarships – 200 in the State of Tennessee, representing $1 million in educational benefits.

To make these educational opportunities possible, the University needs the help of donors to cover the $5,000 cost difference between the scholarship award and tuition. Each gift can go a long way to help students whose families have made tremendous sacrifices for our country to pursue their dreams of obtaining a college degree. Donations to the UofM's Folds of Honor project scholarship fund can be made by going to the University of Memphis Foundation website at www.memphis.edu/development.