AUSTIN Texas State Senator Kevin Sparks announced in a Tuesday press release that his office is now accepting applications for Texas Senate District 31 college-ready students who are planning a military career.
“I believe military service is an honor and I look forward to assisting our brave servicemen and women in their pursuit of a higher education. It is my sincere hope that our prospective servicemembers take advantage of this incredible opportunity and I look forward to reviewing each application,” Sparks said in the release.
Annually, each state representative and state senator may appoint one student to receive up to $15,000 through the Texas Armed Services Scholarship. Prospective applicants must meet specific criteria and make a four-year commitment to a qualified military service branch. The program encourages students to complete a baccalaureate degree and become a member of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Merchant Marine, or a commissioned officer in any branch of the armed services of the United States. Selected students must meet two of these four academic criteria:
1. Be on track to graduate or have graduated high school with the Distinguished Achievement Program, the distinguished level of achievement under the Foundation High School Program, or the International Baccalaureate Program;
2. Have a high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
3. Have achieved a college readiness score on the SAT of at least 1070 or at least 23 on the ACT;
4. Be ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class.
Students who wish to apply for a nomination should visit the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Student Loans webpage, which can be found at: tinyurl.com/2hfhk8j7. The deadline for Senate District 31 residents to submit an application to Senator Sparks’ office is August 24, 2023. Applications may be e-mailed to [email protected] with the subject line “Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program Application,” or, alternatively, the application may be mailed to the following address:
State Sen. Kevin Sparks
c/o Mike Garcia, Chief of Staff
P.O. Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
