Guest blog post by Sally DeBoer, Submarine Birthday 5K Team
“I’m on my way home, I just need to finish one more thing!” “Boomer life is way easier; they’re not gone that much!” “It all gets better after ORSE!” Ah, yes, the pervasive myths of submarine family life. Perhaps you’ve heard them or fallen victim to their siren call (picture it: me, 2015, sitting alone with an elaborate dinner gone well past cold, watching Gilmore Girls for the 2,000th time waiting for my husband who told me “20 minutes” … four hours ago).
Yep, the submarine rumor mill continues to churn around all aspects of sub life, and the purpose and scope of our community’s dedicated scholarship organization, The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation, are no exception! See if you know the facts about DSF with this special “myth buster” edition of The Submerged Life.
MYTH: Dolphin Scholarships are only for Officers’ dependents.
This is probably the most pervasive and pernicious myth. While it’s true that fundraising events have historically been the purveyance of khaki submariners and their spouses, the Dolphin Scholarship is open to the dependents of active-duty submariners and veterans with a minimum of eight years of submarine service or ten years inclusive of submarine support roles, with special consideration for those who are medically retired or killed in the line of duty. The scholarship is in no way rank or rate dependent!
MYTH: Dolphin Scholarships are only for students pursuing four-year degrees.
While many Dolphin Scholars are indeed pursuing a Bachelors’ degree, the Dolphin Scholarship is expansive in scope and open to those who intend to enroll or are currently enrolled working toward an Associate’s or Baccalaureate degree at a two- or four-year accredited university or college, or who are working toward vocational/technical certification at an accredited institute. Yep, that’s right! Those who wish to pursue a vocational degree can benefit from DSF funds too!
MYTH: Dolphin Scholarships are only for the children of submariners.
The Dolphin Scholarship is open not only to the children and stepchildren of submariners, but also spouses, provided they meet eligibility requirements. So for all the spouses out there ready to do something for themselves and chase that next educational goal, be sure to remember DSF when researching scholarship options!
MYTH: You must give tons of money to DSF to make a difference.
Though the purpose of most DSF events is to raise funds for scholarships, few among us have the budget to commit large sums to this worthwhile cause. Our community’s fundraising strength, therefore, lies in our numbers and our enthusiasm! Events often need a lot of volunteer effort to get off the ground, and whatever your talent (crafting, baking, organizing, making spreadsheets so beautiful they would make Leslie Knope weep …maybe just me on that last one), there’s certain to be an application for it. If you’re low on time, you can also add DSF as your charity of choice via Amazon Smile! Attending events like the Submarine Birthday Virtual 5k, or even just sharing, liking, or commenting on a social media post goes a long way toward our ultimate ambition – easing the financial burdens of education for submarine families!
Had you heard any of these myths before? Check out more info and eligibility requirements at the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation!