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Tillman Military Scholars Named

Posted on May 22, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michelle McCarthy, 201.675.1063
mmccarthy@pattillmanfoundation.org

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Ahead of Memorial Day, Pat Tillman Foundation Announces Fifth Class of Tillman Military Scholars

More than $1 Million Awarded to 60 Student Veterans and Military Spouses Committed to Pat’s Legacy of Leadership and Service

Tempe, AZ (May 22, 2013) – After an extensive selection process, the Pat Tillman Foundation is proud to welcome the fifth class of Tillman Military Scholars to the Tillman Community this Memorial Day. Through the Tillman Military Scholars program, 60 military veterans and spouses representing 41 academic institutions will be awarded nearly $1.4 million in scholarship support in recognition of their service, leadership and academic excellence. To commemorate Memorial Day, the fifth class of Tillman Military Scholars will ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, May 24th.

“We’re proud to award educational scholarships to enrich the lives of our nation’s military veterans and their spouses. The Tillman Military Scholars program plays a vital role in transitioning veterans into civilian life by fueling their potential as leaders and game changers when they return home,” said Marie Tillman, president and co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation. “During his life, Pat refused to standby on the sidelines as an athlete and a soldier, and each Tillman Military Scholar embodies the principles of service, learning and action that he lived by everyday. These men and women are the determined few who stepped forward to lead when duty called. Through their studies in medicine, foreign affairs, urban planning and more, they are building on Pat’s legacy of leadership and creating their own to impact and inspire our country for years to come.”

In 2008, the Pat Tillman Foundation established the Tillman Military Scholars program to support educational opportunities for service members and military families by bridging the financial gaps left by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Military families face numerous challenges during the transition from military to civilian life and have unique needs that often prevent successfully completing a degree. Tillman Military Scholars receive financial support to not only cover traditional study-related expenses such as tuition and books, but also other needs, including but not limited to housing, transportation and childcare. In providing this support, the Pat Tillman Foundation aims to remove obstacles that would otherwise prohibit academic and career success.

The Tillman Military Scholarship is not a gift; it is an investment in excellence and potential. Over the past five years, the Pat Tillman Foundation has awarded nearly $4.1 million in scholarship funds to 290 Tillman Military Scholars pursuing education at every level from freshmen undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates. Overall, Tillman Military Scholars represent 90 different academic institutions nationwide.

Second Lieutenant Sean Inkelaar-Cruz, who is pursuing a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Southern California, is one of the members of the 5th Class of Tillman Military Scholars. After deploying to Iraq with the 101st Airborne, Inkelaar-Cruz left a 10-year career as a Non-Commissioned Officer to pursue higher education and commission as an officer in the California Army National Guard. A Los Angeles native, he intends to leverage his military training and studies in urban planning to redesign metropolitan transportation systems, so veterans and wounded warriors have greater access to education, jobs, health care and recreation.

“It is a tremendous honor to carry Pat Tillman’s name and even more a responsibility to live up to his legacy, values and work ethic. As a Tillman Military Scholar, I strive to be a visible, positive influence for my community and especially, for fellow veterans, service members and military families,” said Inkelaar-Cruz. “I am not blessed with the physical talents that Pat was, but we share the common principles of leading when called to duty, volunteering for missions that others would walk away from, striving to better humanity one day at a time, and making a significant difference with our lives while we can.”

Meet the Class of 2013

An interactive map that demonstrates the national reach of the Tillman Military Scholars program is featured online where Tillman supporters can track the academic goals, progress and achievements of our Scholars and University Partners. For the full list of military veterans and spouses named to the fifth class of Tillman Military Scholars, as well as their schools and intended areas of study, click here.

Pat Tillman Leadership Summit

This July, the Pat Tillman Foundation will host the Fourth Annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit to unite current Tillman Military Scholars, alumni, partner organizations, and leaders throughout the military and veteran’s community. The Summit will convene at Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago from July 11-14, 2013 where scholars will participate in a leadership forum, professional development workshops and community service projects.

If you are a member of the media who wishes to arrange an interview with Pat Tillman Foundation President and Co-Founder Marie Tillman or one of our new Tillman Military Scholars, please contact Michelle McCarthy at (201) 675-1063 or mmccarthy@pattillmanfoundation.org.

About the Pat Tillman Foundation

Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat’s death in 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Created to honor Pat’s legacy and pay tribute to his commitment to leadership and service, the Pat Tillman Foundation is a national leader in providing educational support and resources to veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses. Inspired by Pat’s attributes of leadership, passion for education and spirit of service, the Foundation annually awards educational scholarships through the Tillman Military Scholars program. Since the Foundation’s inception, more than $9 million in educational support has been invested in individuals committed to a life of service both in an out of uniform, including nearly $4.1 million awarded to 290 Tillman Military Scholars nationwide. For more information, visit: www.pattillmanfoundation.org.

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9th Annual Pat’s Run Highlights

Posted on April 30, 2013

Over 35,000 runners, walkers, volunteers and spectators united at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday, April 20 to Run, Walk and Honor Pat’s legacy of leadership and service. All 50 states were represented and amongst the crowd were 40 Tillman Military Scholars and their families in special gold Pat’s Run race shirts. People from a few months old to 86 years of age were in attendance to celebrate Pat’s legacy. Thousands of supporters also turned out in full force at over 28 Shadow Runs in cities across the country as well as two Troop Runs in Afghanistan this April. (Photo highlights are now online for your viewing and purchase.)

Over 2,600 kids participated in the .42 mile Kids Run and four of those youngsters were named Tillman. But, none of this would have been possible without the 1,200 volunteers who helped with Race Week and Race Day responsibilities. We’d also like to give a special shout out to the 200 Team Tillman members who raised over $77,000 during Pat’s Run.

On behalf of the Pat Tillman Foundation, the Pat’s Run Race Committee and the community of Tillman Military Scholars that directly benefits from your support of Pat’s Run – THANK YOU for being with us every step of the way!

At the Pat Tillman Foundation we cannot fulfill our mission without the generosity of individuals and sponsors like you – who share Pat’s passion and desire to make a difference. Thank you again for your participation and continued support of Pat’s Run and all of our Tillman Military Scholars nationwide.

Watch for news about the 5th class of Tillman Military Scholars in June! In the meantime, mark your calendar for Veteran’s Day – November 11, 2013 when registration opens for the 10th Annual Pat’s Run!

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Pat’s Run Exemplifies Spirit of Selflessness

Posted on April 25, 2013

by Shelly Burgoyne, Tillman Military Scholar

As an amateur runner, I love races. I save all my race bibs and I write my time on the back of them. I have run 13 races, large and small, and each one has been special to me. Running is the most democratic of all sports; there is virtually no financial barrier for participation, there is little equipment and no special venue is needed. Weekend Warriors race alongside elite runners. Anyone can run, and anyone can watch. There are no ticket fees, no limits on spectators, and the runners race through the public space of a city.

This past weekend, I ran the one race that I have been looking forward to all year: Pat’s Run. I ran Pat’s Run for the first time last year after being selected as a Tillman Military Scholar. For me, this race is special because it has grown from a small run organized by Marie Tillman in Tempe, Arizona to a massive undertaking by the entire city of Phoenix. Pat’s Run embodies so many things: community, sacrifice, 10 years of war, loss, heroism, veterans, scholars, and courage.

Courage could be defined today as not knowing what evil lies on the other side of a decision, yet deciding to go anyway. When the Twin Towers fell on 9/11, Pat Tillman made a courageous decision. He placed one foot in front of the other and did not look back. He bravely left behind an exciting football career in Arizona, that was both comfortable and profitable, for a very different life as a U.S. Army Ranger. In his own words: “It doesn’t do me any good to be proud. It’s better to just force myself to be naïve about things, because otherwise I’ll start being happy with myself, and then I’ll stand still, and then I’m old news.” When Pat made his courageous decision, he became part of the 1 percent of Americans who serve our nation in uniform. Pat ultimately lost his life in the mountains of Afghanistan, placing him among the honored few who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation’s freedom.

On April 15th, when the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon became a war zone, our nation was instantly propelled back to the emotions of 9/11. But this time there was one notable difference. After a decade of war, there are now thousands of veterans who live in our local communities. They live among us, they are organized, they are motivated to serve, they are young and smart, and they have not allowed themselves to be isolated.

On April 15th, several of these men and women – the one percent-  where on the ground at the Boston Marathon. Among them was First Lieutenant Steve Fiola, a Massachusetts native. Fiola had participated in the Boston Marathon three times, each time rucking it. This year, he organized a team of soldiers to ruck the Marathon as Team “Tough Ruck.” Fiola’s team had just finished the 26.2 mile Ruck, and they were sitting exhausted near the finish line when they heard the blast on Boylston Street. These one percenters, like Pat Tillman, understand courage. Without knowing what evil stood ahead, they quickly jumped into action. They did not run to safety, they ran toward danger and they rendered aid to the fallen. As the Officer in Charge, Fiola immediately organized his exhausted team and jumped into action. He and his fellow soldier, 1SG Bernard Madore ripped down a fence that was separating the wounded from medical personnel and transport. Madore assisted children and helped with tourniquets, while Fiola rendered aid to a man on fire, with a badly burned face.

After tragic events like Boston, often all people can do is just do – placing one foot in front of the other, doing, creating, participating, working and running. This action, big or small, is important. It begins the exponential cycle of others acting and doing in service to others. In the end, simply doing creates real energy, real momentum, real organizations, and real missions of help that are changing lives. And in some cases, saving them.

Marie Tillman, Pat Tillman’s widow, is also a doer. When faced with the unspeakable loss of her husband, she also bravely left comfort behind and journeyed to a place unknown to her. Marie could have mourned the death of her husband privately and simply moved on with her life, leaving the Army part of her life behind. What she did instead placed her in the category of one percenters. She placed one foot in front of the other, slowly doing, creating one small project at a time, refusing to let herself become isolated. All this doing has resulted in what is now a solid and reputable mission that bears the name of her late husband. The Pat Tillman Foundation, started by Marie, Pat’s family and friends, is the result of a lot of people taking action and it has brought about tangible opportunities like Pat’s Run to give back to and support Tillman Military Scholars on their next journey after service. These two very real things serve a great need in our nation; they are not abstract, they are measurable energy, and they change our reality. Pat’s Run is the result of doing. After the evil in Boston, this weekend warrior and veteran could not wait to get to doing in Tempe – racing and supporting my fellow scholars who are carrying forward such an incredible legacy of leadership and service to country.

Shelly Burgoyne, a former Army officer who served two tours in Iraq, just completed her Master’s in Public Policy as a Tillman Military Scholar at the University of Maryland. She resides in San Antonio where she is currently awaiting assignment for a U.S. Embassy abroad.

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Statement on the Boston Marathon Tragedy

Posted on April 15, 2013

Today, the Pat Tillman Foundation released the following statement about the 9th Annual Pat’s Run in the wake of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon:

“The Pat Tillman Foundation is closely monitoring the tragic events that occurred today at the Boston Marathon. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families in the wake of this horrific incident. As we move forward for the 9th Annual Pat’s Run, the Tillman Foundation is working closely with the City of Tempe and Tempe Police, Arizona State University, Arizona State University Police Department and additional security to ensure the safety of all our runners and supporters on the ground this weekend. Increased security measures are being put into place as we move forward with the race.”

If you are member of the media seeking comment, please contact Michelle McCarthy at mmccarthy@pattillmanfoundation.org or (201) 675-1063.

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5th Annual Pints for Pat

Posted on March 5, 2013

The fifth annual Pints for Pat glass fundraiser collects funds and generates awareness in support of the Pat Tillman Foundation. Pints for Pat is the kick-off event counting down the 42 days to the 9th Annual Pat’s Run, the Foundation’s signature fundraiser. The event also features a silent auction.

Stop by Rula Bula in Tempe beginning March 8 at 4 p.m. to purchase a 2013 Pints for Pat souvenir glass, the fifth glass in the series.  This year, 1,442 limited-edition Guinness pint glasses will be sold exclusively at Rula Bula.  Each glass is etched with the number 42 and a word that celebrates Pat’s legacy. The word for 2013 will be revealed at this event. Each glass costs $10 and 100% of the proceeds will support the Tillman Military Scholars program.  Please note, glasses are only available at Rula Bula on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rula Bula is located at 401 S. Mill Avenue in Tempe.

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