Campaign Gratitude Asks What We Can Do For Our Veterans

“What The American College of Financial Services does is very important. It’s (helping) people that bring a very attractive set of experiences, expertise, values, leadership capabilities – just total backgrounds very well suited to employment in the financial world.” - General David Petraeus (Ret.) 2018 Soldier-Citizen Award Recipient

As General Petraeus highlighted, veterans have a unique set of experiences, expertise, values, and leadership traits that make them a great fit for a transition into a rewarding second career in financial services. Yet, far too often, they return home from active service without the educational and career support they need.

The American College Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs does its part to aide these heroes’ transition to the civilian workforce by educating and empowering them through scholarship and applied knowledge.

These veterans receive knowledge in financial services, leadership, and philanthropic planning – an education that can help jumpstart a valuable, and valued, career in the profession.

Since 2012, The College has awarded over 500 scholarships to veterans and their spouses across 46 states, two territories, five countries, and three continents. Moving forward, The College intends to award 200 scholarships each year.

It’s important to measure our impact in raw numbers, but the most important measure of our mission to benefit society is the stories of gratitude and success extended by our scholarship recipients to the donors who supported their education. We’ve received 100s of letters expressing thanks for the financial support and the applied knowledge that has given them a leg up in their second career of service.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to think differently about fundraising for this worthy cause. Campaign Gratitude helps humanize this mission – so you can hear how a gift and the education it offers has impacted real veterans, their spouses, their families, and their communities.

Below, you can hear Wayne Mai’s story, a 20-year U.S. Marine with a mission to bring financial education to our nation’s children. It’s a powerful illustration of the hope, passion, and purpose that a donation to Campaign Gratitude provides.

As my mother once told me, “Only what you do for others will last.” The service of our men and women in uniform will always be a part of our nation’s story. Now, I ask all of you, what will you do for them?

Learn more about Campaign Gratitude, and know that we award a full scholarship to heroes like Wayne with every $5,000 gift.