University of Wyoming law student Cash Freeman is the 2013-14 Tillman Military Scholar
at UW.
University of Wyoming College of Law student Cash Freeman has been selected as a Tillman Military Scholar for the 2013-14 academic year. The one-year scholarship is worth $13,000.
Freeman is the fifth UW student -- among the fifth class of Tillman Military Scholars nationwide -- to receive the prestigious military award. UW is among 14 universities serving as Tillman Military Scholars (TMS) university partners for the coming school year. University partners are selected based on their innovative service member-specific support services and proven culture of community for military families.
Each university partner institution provides outreach services to its veteran and military-dependent student population and actively participates in the Tillman Military Scholar selection process. Upon selection of TMS on campus, each then builds and strengthens community among the students, enhancing their academic and personal experiences.
Freeman, raised in Olympia, Wash., received his B.S. degree from Fayetteville State University and his M.S. degree from Troy University, while still on active duty. He served 21 years in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of sergeant first class as an enlisted soldier and, later, that of captain as an officer, before retiring in 2011. After graduating from the UW College of Law, Freeman hopes to enter a general law practice.
“I will strive to provide legal services for both current service members and veterans alike, at affordable rates or on a pro-bono basis,” he says. “Too often, service members and veterans are unable to afford adequate and dedicated legal counsel, and I hope to make a positive impact in this area. As a disabled veteran myself, I also will assist our disabled veterans in obtaining the benefits they so justly deserve for serving our great country.”
Freeman is active in several fraternal and community service groups such as Laramie Rotary Club, Laramie Kiwanis Club, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Military Officers Association of America. He will attend the TMS Leadership Summit next month in Chicago to receive training that will help promote leadership in community support and outreach programs.
Marty Martinez, UW Veterans Services Center’s project coordinator, says the university had a “wonderful group” of UW veteran students who applied to the TMS program.
“Cash’s story is typical of many military and veteran students: fully meeting their obligations as military members while taking on the added stress, time and effort of college classes as part-time or full-time students,” he says. “That dedication and focus is what made Cash such a strong candidate for the Tillman Military Scholars program.”
In 2008, the Pat Tillman Foundation established the TMS program to support educational opportunities for service members and military families by bridging the financial gaps left by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The scholarships cover not only tuition and fees, but also other areas such as housing and child care.
The program’s scholars carry forward the legacy and memory of former Arizona Cardinals defensive back Pat Tillman. In 2002, Tillman put his NFL career on hold to serve his country. Following Tillman's death in 2004, while serving with the 75th Army Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan, his family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation to invest in veterans and their families through education, community and advocacy. For more information, visit www.PatTillmanFoundation.org.
For more information about the scholarship and UW's Veterans Services Center, contact Martinez at (307) 766-6909 or email mmarti77@uwyo.edu.
