(Left) Gavin Whitt, an incoming University of Guam freshman from Simon Sanchez High School, earned a four-year Henry San Nicolas Ofeciar Scholarship from the UOG Board of Regents for UOG’s Army ROTC program. (Right) University of Guam junior Samde'lana Obina received a two-year Army ROTC Scholarship to finish her undergraduate degree. Photos courtesy of the University of Guam ()
The University of Guam Army ROTC program has awarded scholarships to seven students, funding the remainder or entirety of their four-year degree programs. The scholarships pay either tuition or $5,000 per semester toward room and board for the duration of each recipient’s degree.
Each scholarship cadet is also authorized an extra $1,200 per year to pay for books, and once the cadets finish their requirements for contracting, which includes passing a physical fitness test, they will receive a stipend of $420 per month.
The students awarded are:
Samde’lana Obina, UOG junior
Amos Dumapat, UOG junior
Enriquo Nedlic, UOG sophomore
Gavin Whitt, incoming freshman from Simon Sanchez High School
Gavin Pangelinan, junior transferring from Northern Marianas College
Bert Gabriel Magallano, junior transferring from Northern Marianas College
Dan Ryan Tumaquip, junior transferring from Northern Marianas College
“I [am] lost for words…” Obina said. “I [see] it as a symbol of my hard work paying off. … I hope to make significant contributions through service and commitment to my island and the United States.”
Whitt, who graduated in May from Simon Sanchez High School, was awarded the Major Henry San Nicolas Ofeciar ROTC Scholarship, which is provided by the Board of Regents to students enrolling in the ROTC program. The Ofeciar Scholarship pays for full tuition and $250 for books each semester for four years. Whitt is also eligible for the $420 per month stipend after successful completion of his freshman year.
“I was inspired to be a part of the UOG Army ROTC program because I have a lot of family members and mentors who were officers in the military and I always felt the need to contribute back to the island of Guam,” Whitt said. “… I am more than grateful to earn the scholarship and be a part of the UOG Army ROTC family.”
The other scholarships are funded by the U.S. Army Cadet Command through a campus-based board of ROTC cadre and UOG personnel. The students were selected based on their previous academic performance and their leadership and extracurricular activities, as well as an interview.
Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, the director of the UOG and NMC ROTC programs, said more scholarship announcements are forthcoming as the applicants’ packets are processed.
Apply for an ROTC Scholarship
High school students and current UOG and NMC students are eligible to apply for national ROTC scholarships to the University of Guam or the Northern Marianas College. High school students are encouraged to take either the SAT or ACT upon completion of their junior year and then submit their applications to the Army ROTC National Scholarship Board that occurs every October. Students who have already taken one semester of college do not need to submit ACT or SAT scores.
More information about the ROTC scholarship application process can be found by emailing John Howerton, the ROTC recruiting operations officer, at jhowerton@triton.uog.edu.
