Student earns scholarship
CONNELLSVILLE – Connellsville Area School District graduate Joseph Phillips has received an $85,000 Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship. Phillips, 18, who graduated from high school on May 31 with 375 fellow students, has also been accepted at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh where he will study chemistry during the next four years.
After that, he will be required to spend four years on active duty in the Marine Corps and four years as an active reserve. And, according to Phillips, he can’t wait to get started.
“I’m excited,” he said. “This is something I have been planning for a long time. And, although my plans were set prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America, those events have made me even more determined to join the military and do my part.”
Phillips, the son of Cathy Phillips of Connellsville, said in order to apply for the scholarship he had to be board eligible. “All that means is that you have to answer a few simple questions such as ‘Are you a U.S. citizen’ and make sure that you have the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores to qualify for the scholarship,” said Phillips.
After becoming eligible, Phillips had to submit referrals, send in his transcripts, complete an interview with members of the Marine Corps, write several essays, agree to a background check completed and undergo an extensive physical fitness test.
Phillips said that once those conditions were met the compiled information was forwarded to the Marine Corps Recruiting Command in Quantico, Va.
“The Marine Corps Recruiting Command selects the scholarship recipients,” said Phillips. “They have two selection boards – one in November, which is the early board and the regular board, which is in February.”
Phillips was selected for the November early board. After that he was required to pass an extensive physical examination.
“I felt that I was really lucky to have gotten the scholarship with the early board,” said Phillips. “I think it might have had something to do with my SAT scores.”
Phillips scored 1,310 on his college boards, while maintaining a 3.93 grade point average. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his high school class.
Phillips said there only three schools in Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University that have the NROTC program.
And although he did not participate in an ROTC program while in high school, because Connellsville doesn’t have an ROTC program, he is looking forward to the program in college.
“I guess I’m excited about it because this is something that I have planned to do for years,” he said. “This is a great opportunity. It’s something that I have looked forward to for a long time. Now that I’m at a point in my life to make decisions, I’m glad that I made the ones that I have.”
Staff Sgt. Steve LaRose, Uniontown recruiter, presented the scholarship check to Phillips at the senior high school on May 30. In presenting the check, LaRose said, “Joe is a well-rounded young man. He has a high grade point average and he volunteers his free time to the community in addition to his talents as an athlete.
“All of these attributes as well as his moral character and natural leadership skills make him a perfect NROTC scholarship recipient.”
While in high school Phillips was a member of the National Honor Society, the French Honor Society, Student Council, the gifted program and the ice hockey team. He is a member of the Boy Scouts of America and has achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout.