SOSC awards $37K in college scholarship grants Published May 17, 2013 By Leigh Weidman Sheppard Officers' Spouses Club SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Sheppard Officers' Spouses' Club (SOSC) held its annual Scholarships Dinner May 11, awarding $37,000 in college scholarship grants to 11 recipients. The following individuals were awarded scholarships: Jodi Bruce, Spouse, Wayland Baptist University, $3,500 scholarship Caleb Brumley, Wichita Christian School, $2,500 scholarship Robert (Trey) Brumley III, Midwestern State University, $3,000 scholarship Jessica Byrd, Bossier Parrish Community College, $3,500 scholarship Cassiel Dillard, Midwestern State University, $4,500 scholarship Zack McMurry, Rider High School, $3,000 scholarship Sora Prakash, University of California-Santa Cruz, $2,000 scholarship Ashley Sissel, Rider High School, $5,500 scholarship Abigail Skipworth, Wichita Christian School, $500 scholarship Megan Tideman, City View High School, $5,000 scholarship Brittany Walkingstick, Wichita Falls High School, $4,000 scholarship Awards are based on the students applications, which are judged and ranked by an independent panel of judges, comprised of local civilian community leaders. Applications include an essay, student's grade point average and their extra-curricular activities. The SOSC Scholarship Committee then reviews the overall application, any volunteer and/or community service and the student's future goals. The exact amount of each scholarship depends on their application, with the highest winner earning $5,500. The SOSC Scholarship chairperson, Mr. Ron Bryant, plans, coordinates and oversees the program and ceremony. Scholarship recipients are notified via email they've won a scholarship, but do not find out the actual amount of the scholarship until the award dinner. The dinner, held at the Sheppard Club, is provided to the award recipients and two guests free of charge courtesy of the SOSC. The SOSC, a non-profit group that is organized as a social and welfare group, has also awarded over $11,000 to local and military non-profit organizations this year. The social side hosts monthly socials for members, with member dues. The welfare side fundraises, primarily through the base Thrift Shop and the annual Hangar Holiday event, to provide grants to local and military non-profits and scholarships to military dependents.