Two Sun Devils named to 2013 Tillman Military Scholar class

Sun Devils Jason Turner and Efraim Ruthenberg have been selected to represent Arizona State University and the Pat Tillman Foundation as Tillman Military Scholars for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Turner, a United States Air Force veteran and native of North Hampton, N.H., is working to complete a master’s degree through the School of Social Work at ASU. He began his career in security forces, but soon turned his attention toward becoming a military working dog handler. Turner says he feels tremendous pride in being named a military scholar and is excited for the annual leadership summit.

Ruthenberg, a veteran of the United States Army and native of Peoria, Ariz., is currently pursuing an MBA through the W. P. Carey School of Business. During his time in the service, Ruthenberg worked as a logistics officer and a supply specialist, where he was able to track equipment costs and save taxpayer dollars. He feels being a Tillman Military Scholar will allow him to engage in community service opportunities and deepen his passion for leadership. 

The number of ASU student applications for the program has consistently increased each year.

“This year ASU had 100 applicants for these scholarships, more than twice the amount of last year. It was very tough for our committee to select only eight semi-finalists from this group, but it was probably even tougher for the Tillman Foundation to select two from those excellent semi-finalists. We are very excited that Jason and Efraim were chosen – I know both of them will be outstanding representatives for ASU,” said Christian Rauschenbach, program manager at the ASU Pat Tillman Veterans Center.

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 GI Bill. Military families face numerous challenges during the transition from military to civilian life and have unique needs that often prevent the successful completion of 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 doctoral candidates.

“ASU is proud to be a university partner to the Tillman Foundation, and proud to be a sponsor in Pat’s Run, the principle fundraising activity for the Pat Tillman Foundation,” said Rauschenbach. 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.