This student demonstrates a refreshing zeal for life. CJ comes from a family that has dedicated nearly two and a half decades of service to the Navy, which has been a highly influential part of his life. CJ has also undergone his own struggles, which he has used to shape how he approaches each and every day.
CJ Cruz
CJ is the recipient of the Frances and Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship. This fall, he’ll be a junior at Duke University, where he’s double majoring in psychology and theater, as well as working toward a certificate in documentary studies. CJ is grateful to Marc Whitehead and Associates for making education a sustainable reality for him. “It’s so amazing and helpful,” he says of the scholarship.
While CJ has worked incredibly hard to get where he is, he points to two people who’ve been there every step of the way. “My parents have been awesome. They have always been super supportive,” he says. “When I pegged Duke as my dream school, they wanted to do whatever they could to make it happen. They’ve been my constant champions.”
CJ’s family has a legacy of military service that was carried on by his father, who served 24 years in the Navy. Seeing the sacrifices of those who served inspired CJ’s career path. As he wrote in his poignant essay, CJ plans to use his education and experience to “positively impact those who valiantly fought for freedom” by aiding warriors in “overcoming internal struggles and finding lasting peace.”
CJ is no stranger to struggle. He recently underwent a successful open-heart surgery to combat the effects of Currarino-Silverman syndrome. Living with the disease has influenced CJ’s carpe diem outlook on life. “It’s a situation where you don’t think about the worst, but there was a fair amount of risk involved,” he explains. “I knew I wanted to capitalize on the time I had. It made me look at my college experience practically and realize, ‘I have four years to do what I can. If this is all I get, I’m going to take every opportunity.’ I feel proud of what I’ve done so far.”
You can learn more about our scholarships and other resources online at College Scholarship.
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Entry materials will not be returned to you. By submitting an entry for the Flora Marie Jenkins Memorial Disability Scholarship, you acknowledge that if you become a scholarship recipient, Marc Whitehead & Associates will own all rights to publish and promote the submission.
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Marc Whitehead & Associates’ RIGHT TO MODIFY, SUSPEND OR TERMINATE. In the event Marc Whitehead & Associates is prevented from continuing with the Scholarship Program by any event beyond its reasonable control, then Marc Whitehead & Associates shall have the right in its sole discretion to modify or terminate the Scholarship Program.
