University of Phoenix and The National Society of Leadership and Success Foundation Have Announced the Winner of the 2020 Major Fannie Griffin-McClendon Scholarship

Scholarship supports military students in pursuit of higher education

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Phoenix and The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) Foundation today announced Raven Hilden as the winner of the 2020 Major Fannie Griffin-McClendon Scholarship. Hilden has been awarded $5,000 to help complete her bachelor’s degree in Human Services Management at University of Phoenix.

Hilden is a military spouse and the founder of MilVet.Org, a 501c3 nonprofit that has helped hundreds of veteran families and thousands of deployed military men and women around the world. Her organization’s work includes a military care package program for deployed troops, support for military families, help for veterans reintegrating back into society once they return home, and rehabilitation and therapy programs for veterans in need, at no cost.

Hilden knows, firsthand, the unique struggles military families face. Her husband served eight years in the United States Marine Corps and has a partial amputation due to injuries he sustained while in service. Her son-in-law also served as an Army paratrooper and is disabled due to service-related injuries.

“I identify with Major Griffin-McClendon’s passion to support soldiers on extended deployments, as I have been doing similar work,” said Hilden. “I started MilVet.Org to serve the unique needs of military families but know that it’s equally important to educate the community about what our families face, and how they can help support them during deployment and after they return home.”

The scholarship program supports military families in pursuit of higher education and was named for Major Fannie Griffin-McClendon, who served 26 years in the military. Griffin-McClendon was a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the SixTripleEight, that was sent to England and France to clear a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail during WWII, ensuring that troops stayed in touch with their loved ones back home. The SixTripleEight was the only all-black female battalion to serve in Europe during WWII.

“Raven Hilden is exemplary of the type of student the Major Griffin-McClendon Scholarship program set out to support,” said Brian Ishmael, vice president, Office of Military and Veteran Affairs and Strategic Government Partnerships, University of Phoenix. “Her unwavering support for other military families, while also tending to the complex needs of her own, is truly extraordinary.”

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses and interactive learning help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. We serve a diverse student population, offering degree programs at select locations across the U.S. as well as online. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

About the NSLS Foundation

The NSLS Foundation supports leaders who are building a better world. To date, the Foundation has empowered more than 1,700 members of The National Society of Leadership and Success with over $2 million in scholarships and awards. The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) is the nation’s largest leadership honor society, with chapters at more than 700 colleges and universities nationwide and more than 1.2 million members. For more information, please visit nslsfoundation.org and nsls.org.