MCCIA Scholarship Program

Scholarship Program Purpose, Eligibility, and Instructions

Please send your application to:
Mike Dubrule
1207 Pineland Ave
Venice, FL 34285
Questions? Contact Mike Dubrule (Scholarship Chairman): majormike70@gmail.com

Purpose

To award scholarship grants in amounts to a maximum of $1000.00 to qualified applicants who are pursuing resident, full-time college/university undergraduate studies at a fully-accredited institution. Students at the graduate level are not eligible for this program. Enrollment in college correspondence courses or online college study does not qualify for this program. Awards are for one academic year (usually September-June).

The committee recognizes that in unusual cases an applicant may not begin his or her enrollment until January of the year following the application due date (30 June). In such cases:

  1. Proof of acceptance at the college or university is still required, and the acceptance letter must make it clear that it is for January attendance,
  2. The MCCIA application must be marked in the appropriate place, and
  3. Any grant amount awarded by the committee will be reduced by one half to reflect the half-year attendance.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, an applicant must be a child or grandchild (including adopted or step-) under age 25 at the time of application, or a spouse of one of the following:

  1. A current member of the Marine Corps Counterintelligence Association (MCCIA); or
  2. A deceased Marine who was a member of the MCCIA at the time of his death; or
  3. A counterintelligence Marine (primary MOS 0204, 0210 or 0211) who lost his life in the line of duty, whether he was a member of the MCCIA or not.

    (Note: In the case of applicants whose sponsor is not living (Items 2) and 3) above), the surviving spouse must be an MCCIA Auxiliary Member in order for the applicant to be eligible, and that surviving spouse must sign the application as the sponsor.)

    Additional requirements and conditions:

  4. In the case of applicants who have served on active military duty, the maximum age of 25 may be increased by the number of years of active duty served, up to a maximum of five years. Documentation in the form of a DD-214 must be provided.
  5. Anyone currently attending, or accepted for attendance at one of the US military academies is not eligible for this program.
  6. Applicants must have (and must provide documentation of) a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A would-be applicant who has failed to achieve the minimum GPA, but who feels that he or she is otherwise qualified, may include a written request for a waiver of this requirement. The request must offer substantial, logical, persuasive reasons why the committee should accept the application even though the GPA requirement is not met.

This program acknowledges that there may be individuals (whose eligibility is not based on one of the three categories above) who believe their sponsor has or had such a direct connection with Marine Corps counterintelligence that it may entitle the applicant to consideration for a scholarship grant. Such individuals may apply directly to the committee chairman by letter (do not use the application). The letter must explain the perceived connection and should include copies of all documents the writer believes support his or her eligibility, together with an explanatory and supporting letter from the intended sponsor. The committee will evaluate all such letters. Those applicants whose letter the committee believes have merit will be given further instructions by the committee chairman on establishing eligibility. Those whose letters are considered without sufficient merit will be informed of the committee’s decision. All letters requesting special consideration under this category must include the writer’s full name, address, telephone number and email address.

Procedures and Instructions

Scholarship grant applicants are limited to no more than five annual awards (provided they are all for undergraduate work); such awards need not necessarily be consecutive. A previous recipient of an MCCIA scholarship grant must compete against other applicants on an equal basis, and thus must submit a new application with supporting documentation (including all grade transcripts available at the time of application) each year he or she wishes to be considered.

Awards are intended exclusively to help pay for tuition, books, fees, materials, etc., and may not be used for personal or living expenses.

Grants will be sent directly to recipients as a check-in their name. Included in the mailing will be a letter of understanding which must be signed by the recipient and returned to the committee chairman. This letter will state the purpose of the grant (not for personal use, etc.), and when signed by the recipient becomes an acknowledgment by that recipient that he or she understands the conditions of the grant. The leadership of the MCCIA believes that if the recipient’s character, citizenship, and school/community performance are sufficiently impressive to earn him or her this award, the recipient should also be considered conscientious enough to apply the funds as intended. Thus, beyond that letter of understanding, neither the committee nor the sponsor is required or expected to monitor how the recipient spends the funds.

All applicants must comply with the following:

  1. 1) Complete the MCCIA Scholarship Award Application, including sponsor’s signature, and staple all supporting and required attachments to the application, with the application on top.
  2. If available, include proof of acceptance/enrollment at the college/university named on the application. If formal acceptance documentation has not been received, provide any other available documentation which demonstrates that you have formally applied and can reasonably anticipate acceptance. Any applicant who is selected for a grant, but whose application did not include proof of acceptance because it was not available at the time of submission, will be required to provide the committee chairman with such evidence as soon as it is available.
  3. Attach at least three letters of recommendation from teachers, employers, coaches, clergy, adult family friends or others who have been or are in a position to attest to your character, good citizenship, scholarship, and determination. (Note: Letters from family members are not sought and will not be considered.)
  4. Attach an essay that you have personally composed, no longer than one single-spaced typewritten page. The subject or topic of the essay should:
    a) Describe your personal and professional goals and objectives, or
    b) Recognize and describe those persons (e.g., family, friends, teachers, coaches, clergy, etc.) whose advice, counsel, and/or contributions have helped guide you to this point in your life.
  5. Mail the completed application with attachments to the chairman of the scholarship committee, whose name and address appear at the bottom of this document. Applications should be mailed in sufficient time for them to be received by the chairman no later than 30 June for the following academic year. Applications received after that date will not be considered.

Following the close of the application period each year (30 June), members of the scholarship committee will review and evaluate all applications and make their recommendations to the MCCIA Board of Directors no later than 15 August. Such recommendations will include the recommended amount of each grant for each individual recommended. After evaluating the recommendations of the committee, the MCCIA Board of Directors will select those applicants who will receive a grant and the amount for each. The Chairman of the MCCIA Board of Directors will formally notify each recipient of an MCCIA scholarship grant, including the amount of such grant and any attendant instructions, such notice to be delivered to recipients no later than 5 September. The MCCIA Chairman of the Board of Directors may choose his method of notification. Applicants who were not selected will be notified of their non-selection by the scholarship committee chairman either by US Postal Service letter or by email, such notice to be received by addressees no later than 15 September. The recommendations of the committee are final and may not be appealed. The decisions of the board of directors are final and may not be appealed. The committee chairman and members are specifically prohibited from explaining to applicants or their sponsors the reasons or the rationale behind their recommendations. Sponsors and applicants are requested not to place committee members in a difficult position by asking for such information.

Mike Dubrule/Scholarship Chairman
1207 Pineland Ave
Venice, FL 34285
Email: majormike70@gmail.com