40 Surviving Family Members of Fallen Heroes Receive Higher Education Scholarships

September 13, 2022

As students return to the classroom while families deal with the dual problems of soaring tuition and the high inflation, the MissionSquare Retirement Memorial Scholarship Fund again has increased funding of higher education scholarships for the children and spouses of fallen public servants. For the 2022-2023 academic year, more than $77,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 40 recipients from communities across the nation.

"Families who serve the public are hit especially hard by high tuition and inflation," said Lynne Ford, CEO and President of MissionSquare Retirement and President of the MissionSquare Scholarship Fund. "These costs, coupled with the trauma of losing a family member in the line of duty, can put higher education out of reach for those left behind."

"Our mission is to serve those who serve our nation's communities, including their families. This scholarship fund is so important because it supports the families of the individuals working in service to the public who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Helping ensure their families have access to higher education honors our fallen heroes. And it helps set up their survivors reach their career goals and achieve financial security. It’s been our honor to fund these scholarships for more than 20 years," Ford said.

To date, more than $1.4 million has been awarded to some 450 students across the nation.

Founded in 2001, the MissionSquare Retirement Memorial Scholarship Fund honors education, health care, not-for-profit, public safety, and other local and state government employees who died while in service to their communities. The fund provides financial aid to the surviving spouses and children of those employees who died in the line of duty and will attend full-time an accredited two-year community college, four-year accredited university, or vocational school.

The 2022–2023 MissionSquare Scholarship Fund recipients are as follows:

Receipts were selected based on qualifications such as financial need, academic success, leadership in school and community activities, honors received, and work experience.

The application program for 2023 will be available starting in the fall of 2022.