Student-veterans receive Mike Beebe Veterans Fund scholarships

March 3, 2009 -- Fourteen student-veterans associated with the Beck PRIDE Center for America’s Wounded Veterans at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro have been awarded scholarships valued at $1,000 each for the Fall 2009 semester from the Mike Beebe Veterans Fund. The fund is a scholarship program established in honor of Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe by the members of the Alpha Pi Chapter of the Sigma Pi Fraternity at Arkansas State and the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation in Nashville, Tenn.

The scholarships are available to wounded and disabled veterans and the children of service men and women killed in action, regardless of any affiliation with Sigma Pi fraternity.  More than $20,000 has been awarded to student-veterans affiliated the Beck PRIDE Center since the scholarship program was established in the spring of 2008.



The Fall 2009 recipients include Joseph Brown of Columbus, Ohio; Gary Humphrey of Jonesboro; Julio Mendoza of Jonesboro; Reddi Parker of Jonesboro; Austin Phillips of Black Rock; Vester Smith of Newport; Tracy Wineland of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Jennifer Wineland of Oklahoma City, Okla., David McFadden of Conway; Robert Smith of Rector; Michael Tollette of Jonesboro; Michael Tyner of Jonesboro; Kyle Shipman of Jonesboro; and Derrick Oliver of Hot Springs.

Governor Beebe is a Distinguished Alumnus of Arkansas State University and was member of the Sigma Pi fraternity.  Beebe also served in the Arkansas National Guard and is a dedicated advocate for veteran’s issues. In 2008, Governor Beebe established the Arkansas Governor’s Yellow Ribbon Task Force to address reintegration needs of active duty and discharged service members from all branches of military service and their families throughout the state.

The Beck PRIDE Center for Wounded Combat Veterans at Arkansas State was founded by Buddy and Charlotte Beck of Fairfax Station, Va.  Buddy Beck is an alumnus of Arkansas State University and the Alpha Pi chapter of Sigma Pi fraternity.           

###