Naval Helicopter Association Scholarship Fund The NHA Scholarship Always Has Two Things to Say: “Donate" and "Apply!” By CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) President
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he Naval Helicopter Association Scholarship Fund (NHASF) is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit corporation created in 1993.
Our Mission Statement: To award college scholarships to eligible, qualified members of the naval helicopter community and their families (USN, USMC, and USCG) to pursue their educational goals and to support the Naval Helicopter Association and its members. Our Vision: Position NHASF to be a premier scholarship choice in Naval Aviation in 5 years (2025) by providing a sound, growing fund base to incrementally increase the dollar value of the fifteen annual awards total to reach $75K ($5000 each) by 2025. Our grants help undergraduate and graduate students defray the rising costs of higher education. NHASF awards 15 scholarships annually, many of them supporting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum. Our 2022 Fundraising Goal: $60K target for fifteen $3500 scholarships ($52.5K // Admin $7.5K // APPLY (1 Sep – 31 Jan) At Symposium, many of our shipmates said they weren’t interested in the NHA Scholarship Fund – their kids were still little. But the scholarships are not just for our children and grandchildren. We also offer undergraduate and graduate scholarships which range in value up to $3500, for spouses and active-duty personnel – pilots, aircrew, maintainers, and support staff. Among the 2021 awards were three enlisted scholarships (an aircrewman, a plane captain, and a yeoman). - A first tour active-duty O-1 / O-2, who is a 2 Year "Nugget" Member of NHA, and his/her family are exempt from the three-year eligibility requirement. - Active duty Enlisted (E-6 and below), with a current or past helicopter affiliation (stationed in a helicopter or MV-22 squadron, or other helicopter aviation unit) and their family members, are exempt from the NHA membership requirement. A letter from his/her command is required confirming the Sponsor/Applicant is currently serving, or has previously served, in a USN, USMC, or USCG helicopter or MV-22 squadron or other helicopter aviation unit. This year we’re adding a Gold Star Scholarship for spouses and students who lost their serving spouse, father or mother while the member was on active duty. If you have any questions about our Gold Star Scholarship, please call the NHA Scholarship Office. Scholarships in Perpetuity: Our perennial scholarship funds now exceed $140,000, yielding at least $7,000 in annual grants. To establish a scholarship in perpetuity, a donor provides NHASF with at least $50,000 either in a lump-sum donation or pay over time. A $50,000 Scholarship yields a $2,500 grant, a $100,000 gift yields a $5000 annual grant for a named scholarship per year in perpetuity. Later, a donor may add funds to their portfolio whenever they chose to increase the annual grant yield for that scholarship from that year on.
Rotor Review #154 Fall '21
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