The University of Arizona Foundation and the Veterans Education and Transition Services Center accepted a $50,000 donation from Rockin’ 4 Heroes on Sept. 24. This donation aims to establish a veteran student endowment and provide need-based financial assistance to UA students who are veterans or gold star family members.
If a student visits the VETS Center in need of financial assistance due to personal circumstances that jeopardize their ability to pay for college, this funding will support them, largely acting like a traditional scholarship. This financial aid is eligible to students who were unable to receive it from the GI Bill.
The VETS Center will check academic records and also ensure that student accounts are up to date. The exact amount of funds provided to the student would be determined based on the amount needed to aid the student’s situation.
Rockin’ 4 Heroes co-founders, Bonnie and Michael Quinn, presented a check for $50,000 to fund the endowment to Blaze Smith, the director of the UA VETS and ROTC programs, at the UA Bookstore. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6) spoke on the importance of the endowment and awarded Smith with a special certificate of congressional recognition to honor his dedicated service to veterans and commitment to helping them achieve their educational goals.
“This is great. Any time that we can support our veterans, we bring the community together,” Ciscomani said. “This is a big deal.”
Ciscomani, who serves on the House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Committee, explained that he hopes to combine the effects of this endowment with additional work on behalf of veterans done in Washington.
“This scholarship is intended to fill the gap for our veteran students where the GI Bill doesn’t cover,” Bonnie Quinn said. “We’re hoping to be able to step in with these funds and help support them so they can continue with their education and realize their new careers.”
Bonnie Quinn founded Rockin’ 4 Heroes alongside her husband, Michael, in 2021. In addition to providing funds for causes to aid veterans and first responders, they also organize an outdoor concert annually in Oro Valley to raise awareness and funds for their cause.
“It’s really going to make an impact on veterans. However best we can help our brothers and sisters who wore the cloth of our nation,” Pablo Lujan, veteran supply officer at the VETS Center, said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how we’re going to use this going forward.”
“This is so wonderful to see Rockin’ 4 Heroes really supporting our veteran students and recognizing how important it is to support the education of those who served our community,” Provost Patricia Prelock said.
