USF Sarasota-Manatee extends benefits to vets

University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee is now providing emergency-gap scholarships to veterans whose GI Bill benefits run out before degree completion.

The scholarships are funded by the university and a matching grant from the Patterson Foundation, as well as a $10,000 donation from an area businesswoman.

The university has about 125 students who are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, attending school under the Post 9-11 GI Bill. Those benefits, however, often run out before veterans complete their studies, leaving them in a financial pinch to obtain their degrees.

The move by USF Sarasota-Manatee to establish a scholarship fund to fill those shortfalls was partially funded by a grant from the Patterson Foudnation, which is a strong area advocate for veterans issues, in the amount of $19,000 — matching the amount put up by the university.

Sheri Greenhaus, managing partner of CRM Xchange, also contributed $10,000 toward the student veterans’ scholarship endowment after reading about funding cutbacks, bringing the total pool of money available to fund the emergency scholarships to $48,000.

Contact Nolan Peterson at [email protected]