$100K USS Colorado Scholarship Fund Announced

GROTON, CT, UNITED STATES

11.07.2018

Story by Chief Petty Officer Monique Meeks 

Submarine Readiness Squadron (SRS) 32

GROTON, Conn. (November 7, 2018) – The USS Colorado Commissioning Committee has established a $100,000 scholarship fund benefitting the crew and families of USS Colorado (SSN 788). This long-term goal of the Committee was made possible through donations by citizens and companies of the state of Colorado and others who contributed to their fundraising campaign.
“We created this scholarship because we wanted to do something special to support the crew and families of USS Colorado to show the support of the state for their namesake submarine,” said Capt. (Ret.) J.J. Mackin, chairman, USS Colorado Commissioning Committee.
The USS Colorado (SSN 788) Scholarship shall be awarded to current or former crew members of USS Colorado, or the spouse, child, or stepchild, to include a child under legal guardianship, of a current or former crew member of USS Colorado (SSN 788) who has served aboard as an officer or crew member for a period of two years or more.
Each year, two $2,000 scholarships may be awarded. The scholarship is not automatically renewable; however, current holders of the scholarship may continue to compete for scholarships on an annual basis.
The USS Colorado Commissioning Committee was founded in 2013 to generate support for the commissioning and raise money to fund the traditional events surrounding that event. Part of the fundraising goal was to establish this scholarship fund.
During the construction period, the commissioning committee organized eight namesake visits for members of the crew of USS Colorado to visit the state of Colorado and have also arranged two additional visits since the commissioning of the submarine in March 2018.
“The most rewarding part of serving on the commissioning committee was having the opportunity of reconnecting with the Submarine Force and introducing Coloradans to the superb caliber of submarine Sailors that we have today,” said Mackin.
The scholarship fund will be administered by the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation (DSF), which was established in 1960 to assist children of the U.S. Submarine Force with college scholarships. Funds are raised through the financial support of submarine spouse organizations and the submarine community as well as support from individuals, corporations, memorial gifts and Combined Federal Campaign.
DSF has provided financial assistance for undergraduate education dependents of submariners for over 58 years. Currently, they manage scholarship funds for three active submarines: USS Texas (SSN 775), USS Hampton (SSN 767), and USS Washington (SSN 787), as well as the inactive submarine USS Nautilus (SSN 571). In total, DSF currently funds 118 scholarships of which 47 are fully endowed for undergraduate and vocational education.
“It’s always a pleasure working with submarine commissioning committees,” said Andrew Clark, executive director, Dolphin Scholarship Foundation. “With the Colorado commissioning committee, I admire the pride and enthusiasm they have in having their state represented by one of the most advanced and deadliest fast attack submarines in the world. Furthermore, they realize the importance of establishing an endowed scholarship fund. They know that by doing this, the legacy of USS Colorado will live on far beyond its years in commission while assisting eligible members of the submarine community in achieving their educational goals.”
The entire DSF organization is comprised of retired senior officer and enlisted submariners, submarine spouses and long-time supporters of the submarine community. Clark, a retired senior chief and submariner with 26 years of service, understands the sacrifices the submarine force and their families make and is grateful to work with them each day.
“We consider the submarine community as part of our extended family,” said Clark.

• Date Taken: 11.07.2018
• Date Posted: 11.08.2018 11:10
• Story ID: 299147
• Location: GROTON, CT, US