Children of Fallen Patriots scholar Ryan R. is the son of U.S. Army Sergeant Francis R., who passed away in 2017. “My father's military service means the world to me. When I was younger he was always in Iraq, but when I look back at those times, I see the sacrifice he not only made for his family, yet also his country,” Ryan says.
With the help of Children of Fallen Patriots, Ryan graduated from Tennessee Technological University in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Social Science. While Ryan attended Tennessee Technological University, he was extremely involved in extracurricular activities at his college. Ryan was the President of Addiction and Recovery Awareness (ARA), a member of Kappa Delta Pi, and the Vice President of Sigma Alpha Pi. After graduation, he plans to obtain his Master's and Doctorate degrees. “After my doctorate and obtaining years of experience, I plan to open my own practice to provide mental health services to those in the Middle Tennessee Region; additionally, I plan to work on-call and/or PRN for the VA (Veteran Affairs) in Region 3 of Tennessee.”
When asked how Fallen Patriots has impacted his life while pursuing his undergraduate degree, Ryan says, “Receiving a scholarship from Fallen Patriots has removed any stress I had in my life regarding my school financials. Fallen Patriots have provided me with an amazing opportunity to achieve my degree and become another step closer to my career goals.”
There are approximately 25,000 children who have lost an active-duty parent in the military over the last 35 years. The vision of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation is to ensure that every such child receives all necessary college funding.