Nine students receive $20,000 Samsung Scholarship

Nine students receive $20,000 Samsung Scholarship

During The American Legion’s Fall Meetings Wednesday in Indianapolis, the Samsung American Legion National Selection Committee announced the 2014 Samsung American Legion Scholarship recipients, each receiving $20,000 for undergraduate studies. An additional 89 finalists were awarded $1,100 each.

The nine Samsung Scholars are:

  • Heidi Bau of Slayton, Minn.
  • Samantha Goerger of Wyndmere, N.D.
  • Sean Greiner of Bluffton, S.C.
  • Matthew Hanisch of Tulsa, Okla.
  • Kyle Kozlowski of Washington, Pa.
  • Jonathan Mullen of Andover, Minn.
  • Colter Norick of Columbia Falls, Mont.
  • Mason Pearcy of Slidell, La.
  • Delaney Tevis of Columbia, Mo.

The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is available for high school juniors who participate in the current session of Boys State or Girls State and are direct descendants (or legally adopted children) of wartime veterans eligible for American Legion membership. The Samsung scholarship awards up to $20,000 for undergraduate studies (e.g.,room and board, tuition and books), and each applicant is selected according to his or her involvement in school and community activities, academic record and financial need.

In 1996, Samsung, the South Korean multinational electronics leader, endowed an educational scholarship fund of $5 million to The American Legion for administration to direct descendants of U.S. war veterans. It was a gesture of appreciation from Samsung to U.S. military veterans for coming to the aid of South Korea in its war against invading forces from China and North Korea.

Through interest earned on the fund’s principal, the Samsung American Legion Scholarship has awarded more than $5 million in grants to nearly 1,800 eligible applicants, giving young men and women an opportunity to achieve a higher education.