From left: Stephanie Santos, Corvias Employee from Fort Riley, Kan.; Alise Santos, 2018 Scholarship Recipient; John Picerne, Founder of Corvias and Corvias Foundation; Caylin Talk, 2018 Scholarship Recipient; Mike Talk, Corvias Employee from Fort Sill, Okla.; and Janet Colantuono, Principal at Corvias and Corvias Foundation Board Member, at recent Foundation Scholarship Awards Luncheon in Boston, Mass.
Corvias Foundation, a private, charitable foundation and the charitable arm of Corvias, is announcing the two recipients of this year’s Employee Scholarship Program. The program has awarded sixteen higher education scholarships to employee families since 2006, totaling over $600,000, making a difference in employee’s lives well beyond the office.
“It is inherent to our core principles to give back to our community but also to be the best place to work,” said Janet Colantuono, Corvias Principal and Board Member of Corvias Foundation. “We support education in the communities where we live and serve, and that includes our employees and their families. We are just as committed to creating more educational opportunities for our employee families.”
Under the Employee Scholars Program, up to $50,000 scholarships are awarded to employee dependents who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance and are reaching higher to achieve their aspirations in a very competitive academic environment. Two children of Corvias employees were selected for the 2018 awards, one from our office in Fort Riley, Kansas and one a member of our team at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The scholarships provide reliable, recurring financial assistance over each student’s four years of study, as well as a support network that is committed to their academic and professional growth. Students receive scholarships in the amount of up to $12,500 per year for four years to pursue a secondary education at colleges and universities around the country. Among this year’s scholarship recipients are aspiring engineers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, and entrepreneurs.
“This scholarship has a huge impact on my family,” said Mike Talk, Corvias Facilities Director at Fort Sill, OK. “Knowing that Caylin’s tuition is covered and she can focus on her studies takes a tremendous amount of stress off my wife and me.”
Caylin Talk of Norman High School has enjoyed kickboxing and kayaking. Caylin plans to pursue pediatric audiology at the University of Central Oklahoma. Her father, Mike Talk, is a facilities director at our Fort Sill office.
Caylin said, “By receiving this scholarship I am able to pursue my dream of graduating college without having to depend on my parents to help me remain financially stable. This scholarship not only allows me to graduate with minimal dues, but it has given me the opportunity to pursue a career that I feel so passionately about without having to be tied down or held back by student loans.”
Alise Santos of Junction City High School has participated in cross country, Scholar’s Bowl Trivia Debate Team, and National Honor Society. Alise aspires to be a military doctor and will begin her studies this fall at Stony Brook University. Her mother, Stephanie Santos, is a leasing consultant at our Fort Riley office. In addition, her father is an active-duty Soldier, stationed at Fort Riley.
“This scholarship will help me reach my goal of becoming a military doctor and let me save more money towards medical school,” said Alise.
Ryan Donovan, Corvias Employee Scholar Program alum, has excelled since being awarded his scholarship in 2009. He has since graduated from Virginia Tech with degree in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering and is currently living and working in Boston, Mass, as an engineer with the international firm, BR+A Engineering.
Ryan is one of the first to welcome Alise and Caylin to the Corvias family, saying, “It wasn’t until after graduation that I realized what an amazing network the scholarship created, in addition to all the support that was offered while I was in school. I’ve learned so much about many different aspects of life that never crossed my mind until they were brought up within our circle of scholars and friends. The support everyone provides each other is amazing, and a huge bonus to the constant support I’ve received from the Corvias team.”
Corvias Founder John Picerne created Corvias Foundation in 2006 to inspire students, college and university campuses, and military families to reach higher. Since its inception, the Foundation has been committed to supporting military families in the pursuit of higher education and has awarded more than $7 million through 397 scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty Services Members.
About Corvias Foundation
Corvias Foundation, the charitable arm of Corvias, is committed to inspiring students, college and university campuses, and military families to reach higher. Founded in 2006 as "Our Family for Families First Foundation," our work increases access to educational, internship, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities so that those we touch are empowered to pursue their dreams and to make a greater impact in service to their communities and their nation. We strive to create ever-increasing opportunities by providing the resources and networks needed to help our scholars and partners surpass their goals. We achieve this through a commitment to education, community engagement and high-impact charitable giving.
About Corvias
As a privately-owned company headquartered in East Greenwich, RI, Corvias partners with higher education and government institutions nationwide to solve their most essential systemic problems and create long-term, sustainable value through our unique approach to partnership. Corvias pursues the kinds of partnerships that materially and sustainably improve the quality of life for the people who call our communities home, purposefully choosing to partner with organizations who share our values and whose mission is to serve as the foundational blocks, or pillars, of our nation. To learn more, please visit: www.corvias.com.
Media contact:
Melissa Ballou
melissa.ballou@corviasfoundation.org
401-932-3873