There’s 20,000 students taking courses online through Penn State’s World Campus. About 20% are veterans, or immediate family of a veteran and they say it can be hard to afford an education at Penn State.
David Klementik, served in the U.S. Navy for 26 years and knows how hard it can be for a servicemember to get an education while on active duty.
“I can picture some young sailor sitting on a desk or sitting in his desk in the Indian Ocean, linking up with Penn State World Campus on the internet, and wondering how he’s going to pay for his next semester,” Klementik, said.
Wednesday night, Klementik’s State College evening rotary group held a dinner at the State College American Legion, to raise money for scholarships for veterans studying through Penn State’s online, “World Campus”.
Spencer Lewis says the fact that strangers would help a veteran out means the world to them.
“Our average age is 32 years of age, they’re dealing with jobs, families, a lot of commitments,” Lewis, said. “It’s a major balancing time, and to get through all of that and get a degree, it means so much.”
The $3,000 veteran’s education advancement scholarship to Penn State’s online world campus school, was awarded to eight veterans the past three years. There are three veterans this semester studying online, thanks to the scholarship.
“It’s not important that we know the individual names,” Klementik, said. “It’s important that we know there is a fund and there is an ability to help veterans be involved with Penn State’s world campus and furthering their education.”
To find out how to give to the Veteran’s Education and Advancement Fund, you can go to: giveto.psu.edu/VEAF