COLONEL FRED V. CHERRY SCHOLARSHIP

 
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THE Suffolk Foundation is both pleased and honored to have been asked to administer the Col. Fred V. Cherry Scholarship, which was established by Mrs. Margaret W. Reid approximately 30 years ago to honor this highly decorated Vietnam Prisoner of the War. Born (1928) and educated in Suffolk, VA , Fred Cherry graduated from Virginia Union University in 1951 and entered the United State Air Force that same year. He attended flight school and completed Jet Fighter Pilot training in 1952. After receiving his wings and completing intensive combat training, he flew more than 50 combat missions over North Korea. During the War in Vietnam, Cherry flew over 52 missions and on his last mission, was shot down on October 22, 1965 and was immediately captured. He remained a prisoner of war until the end of hostilities and the return of our POWs on February, 1973. Fred Cherry retired from the military in 1981, during which time he earned 30 plus military awards and decorations including the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, the Air Force Commendation, the Meritorious Service Award, two President Unit Citations, and a Distinguished Unit Citation. In 1996 Col. Cherry lived in Maryland with his wife. (most of the above information was gathered from the P.O.W. Network).

 

For the past several years, because of the deaths of most of the trustees of the Fred V. Cherry Foundation, the Col. Fred V. Cherry Scholarship has not been awarded to a graduating senior from one of Suffolk’s high schools. The Suffolk Foundation has been awarded approximately $40,000 to provide, in perpetuity, an annual scholarship.

 
 
 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Colonel Fred V. Cherry Scholarship is to provide an annual award to one scholarship applicant. The scholarship fund will be sent directly to the attending university or college for the sole purpose of paying college expenses. The value of the Scholarship for 2011 will be based on the interest earned off of the investments, estimated to be between $1,000 and $3,000.

 
 
 

AWARD CRITERIA

 

Each scholarship applicant must, at the time of the award:

  1. Be a resident of the City of Suffolk
  2. Be a senior at one of the public or private high schools located in the City of Suffolk
  3. Have a financial need
  4. Have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher
 

PREVIOUS AWARDEES

 

2010 Awardee: Desmond A. McGlone, Lakeland High School (Click to read about Desmond)



SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION

 

The Foundation will be working directly with the four high school counselors in an effort to award one deserving senior the Col. Fred V. Cherry Scholarship.  Your school counselor should have copies of the scholarship available to you by February 1st of each school year or applications may be downloaded from the Foundation's Website: www.suffolkfoundation.org. (See Below)  For any further information, contact Mr. William N. Hill, Executive Director of the Suffolk Foundation by either emailing him at bhill@suffolkfoundation.org or by calling 923 – 9090.  The application may be mailed or delivered to the Foundation office at 1426 Holland Road on or before April 1st.  Applications postmarked after April 1st will not be considered.

 

Electronic Scholarship Application Instruction:

U.S. Mail Application Submission Address:  

  • Suffolk Foundation
    1426 Holland Road
    Suffolk, VA 23434