SGT Michael Beckerman Scholarship

SGT Michael Beckerman Memorial Scholarship

SGT Michael Joe Beckerman was 17½ when he enlisted into the National Guard. SGT Beckerman served two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and one tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While serving his country on these deployments, SGT Beckerman enrolled in the Sonoran Desert Institute and worked toward continuing his education. On 31 December 2010, he made the ultimate sacrifice: SGT Beckerman was killed in action (KIA) in Howz-e Madad, Afghanistan. He is survived by his daughter, Brianna. In memoriam of our student’s great sacrifice, the Sonoran Desert Institute is proud to present the SGT Michael Beckerman Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship annually provides full tuition and fees each semester to two recipients, one in the fall and one in the spring.

Initial Eligibility Requirements:

The SGT Michael Beckerman Memorial Scholarship is a full academic scholarship for SDI’s Associate of Science and Firearms Technology degree program. All applying candidates must:

• Currently be serving in the armed forces or be a veteran of military service.
• Be in good standing with his/her current branch of service or have received an “Honorable Discharge.”
• Provide a DD214, NGB22, or other documentation verifying military service.
• Demonstrate a commitment to and passion for the firearms industry and gunsmithing trade by answering essay questions.
• Submit a regular SDI application for enrollment, with all relevant supporting documentation.
• Provide a letter of recommendation from a non-family member.
• Begin studies at SDI within six months following the award of the scholarship.

Continuing Eligibility: The SGT Michael Beckerman Memorial Scholarship is a full academic scholarship for SDI’s Associate of Science in Firearms Technology degree program. All applying candidates must:

• Meet SDI’s Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and be free of any financial holds on their accounts.
• Be continuously enrolled to retain scholarship eligibility.

Application: Applicants must meet SDI Enrollment & Admissions Requirements, submit an SDI Enrollment Application, complete the SGT Michael Beckerman Memorial Scholarship application in its entirety, by the deadline dates described below.

Deadline: To be considered for the award, SDI must be in receipt of all application documentation as noted above by the following deadlines:

• By Noon Mountain Standard Time on November 30 for the spring award.
• By Noon Mountain Standard Time on May 31 for the fall award.

Evaluation Process: Applications will be reviewed by a Scholarship Committee. The selected recipient will be identified based on a combination of factors, including:

• Essay Score
• Letter of recommendation

Award Procedures: Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision via email approximately 30 days after the scholarship application deadline. The chosen recipient must respond within 30 days indicating intent to accept the scholarship. Should the recipient opt out or fail to respond within 30 days, the scholarship will be awarded to the next highest qualifying applicant. Students that are awarded an SDI Scholarship while already attending SDI are responsible for the charges applied through the current semester. The SDI Scholarship will be applied at the beginning of the next semester following the date the scholarship is awarded.