Palmyra Student Receives Scholarship to Valley Forge Military College
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| Joined by his parents, Jane and David Popko of Palmyra, Alexander Popko receives his certificate of appointment to Valley Forge Military College from Rep. Mauree Gingrich. |
HARRISBURG – Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R-Lebanon) congratulated Palmyra Area High School senior Alexander Popko on receiving a scholarship to attend Valley Forge Military College this fall.
Popko, the son of David and Jane Popko of Palmyra, applied for the $12,000 annual scholarship through Gingrich’s office under the State Military College Legislative Appointment Initiative Program. While the scholarship is not funded by the Commonwealth, it allows each member of the General Assembly to make an annual appointment of a qualified constituent to the Valley Forge Military College. The college selection committee has the final word on admission to the two-year program.
“This is a great opportunity,” said Gingrich. “Alex will have the opportunity to experience VFMA’s long tradition of fostering academic excellence, character building, personal motivation, physical development and leadership.”
To qualify for the scholarship, an applicant must be a high school graduate or equivalent, have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of at least 1,000. In addition to the two-year scholarship, appointed students are also nominated for the ROTC Early Commissioning Program (ECP), which will make them eligible to earn a commission in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant in just two years instead of the usual four.
“Alex is skilled in Tai Kwon Do and is a member of the Palmyra Jazz Band,” said Gingrich. “He is active in his church and is a volunteer firefighter with the Campbelltown Fire Company where he responds to fire calls and assists with EMS and related activities. He is currently taking classes at Harrisburg Area Community College to earn his firefighting certification. Alex has a bright future and a lot to contribute to society. I wish him every success.”
State Representative Mauree Gingrich
101st District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact: Donna Pinkham
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
717.260.6452