DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — As college costs continue to rise, students across Tallahassee are searching for ways to pay for their future. The Marine Corps is offering an option for students interested in serving their country through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
The Marine Corps is offering a $180,000 NROTC scholarship to help Tallahassee students pay for college and become military leaders
“So the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship for the Marine Corps is a four-year scholarship valued at over $180,000 at the end of which each young man or woman that receives a scholarship has the opportunity to lead Marines as a United States Marine Corps officer,” Major Matthew Weber, a Recruiting Officer, said.
Students who receive the scholarship can report to their choice of 170 participating universities. From there, students are classified as midshipmen and fall underneath a Naval ROTC unit led by either a Marine colonel or a Navy captain.
The program offers a clear path from the classroom to service, with a main goal of teaching leadership.
“The Marine Corps prides itself on developing good leaders, and that’s because we care about our Marines. And we care about the folks that are out there leading our Marines, and we want to develop them into those that can uphold our 250-year legacy,” Weber said.
At the American Legion, veterans see the program as a way to shape future military leaders.
“I think it’s very important. Every generation is going to have to step up, because our freedoms are not free. Men and women have died and have been brutally injured for us to enjoy what we’re able to enjoy today in America. So it’s something that’s going to have to be always paid for by the next generation,” veteran Dennis Hall said.
Major Weber says that one of the biggest barriers to young people enlisting is a lack of access to individuals who are already in the military, as well as a limited understanding of what military duties involve.
For more information on how to apply, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.