NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merrimack College has committed to help make college possible for children of Massachusetts soldiers who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The College has become the first higher education institution to match funds provided by the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund, a non-profit organization which seeks to honor Massachusetts fallen Servicemen and Women by helping their children defray the costs of their college education.
MSLF provides $10,000 per year (total of $40,000 over four years) towards educational expenses for eligible students. With this partnership, Merrimack College will match the donation for eligible students who apply and are accepted to the College.
“When Merrimack College opened its doors in September 1947, over 60% of students were WWII veterans utilizing the G.I. Bill - we are proud to continue our commitment to the families of U.S. soldiers by partnering with the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund,” said Dr. Ronald Champagne, president of Merrimack College.
To date, over 80 soldiers, whose home of record at the Department of Defense was Massachusetts, have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of those, 30 were parents, and their over 60 collective children are eligible for educational assistance through MSLF.
“Merrimack has a long history of assisting service members, and this recent commitment to the Fund only highlights that support,” said Peter Trovato, founder of the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund. “We are thankful to Merrimack for continuously placing importance on educational opportunity, and the children of those lost in war will directly benefit from that generosity.”
Other Ways Merrimack Supports Soldiers
For more information on Merrimack College’s contribution, contact Heather Notaro at (978) 837-5195 or email heather.notaro@merrimack.edu. For more information on the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund, contact Peter Trovato at ptrovato@summitpartners.com.