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Air Force Association announces 2008 Ferretti Scholarships
July 7, 2008 -- ARLINGTON, Va – The Air Force Association today Announced the 2008 recipients of the Lt. Col. (Ret.) Romeo and Josephine Bass Ferretti Scholarships.
This remarkable endowment was established through a bequest of the late Lt. Col. Ferretti of Bourne, Massachusetts, and a personal gift from the late Mrs. Ferretti. The $250,000 endowment from the Ferretti estate, managed by Amy Mowbray and Col. Lew Ferretti, USMCR (Ret.), makes possible two or more yearly scholarships of $2,500 each to minor dependents of enlisted Air Force active duty, reserve or guard personnel selected with consideration of both merit and need. The first four scholarships were distributed one year ago.
"I’m confident these are two excellent selections for the 2008 Ferretti Scholarships," said Lew Ferretti. "This program honors the memory of Romeo and Josephine Ferretti and their desire to provide opportunities for deserving young people from Air Force families."
"These students will get off to a great start at fine universities through the Ferretti Scholarships," said Amy Mowbray. "That’s exactly the purpose of this investment."
This year’s recipients of $2,500 each toward their educations are Sara Clayton, a prospective student at Auburn University, and Nathaniel Gertz, a prospective student at the Ohio State University. Both maintained records of high academic achievement and plan to participate in AFROTC.
"AFA is so pleased to participate in this educational opportunity generously made possible by Lt. Col. Romeo and Josephine Ferretti,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, Vice Chairman of the Board, Aerospace Education.
The late Lt. Col. Ferretti and his late wife were long time supporters of AFA and advocates of education. Lt. Col. Ferretti served in the Air Force for more than 23 years, beginning in World War II with the Army Air Corps where he volunteered for flight training. He went on to fly in the P-61 Black Widow night-fighter. On Easter Sunday in 1945, he was shot down over enemy territory, but was able to parachute to safety and evade capture. After retirement in 1966, he became a stockbroker and financial planner.
Mrs. Ferretti was a secondary and high school teacher and retired after 30 years of teaching. While she and her husband were stationed at Macdill AFB, Fla., she taught Airmen from the base their General Education Degree program requirements as well as other courses. She said the reason for the scholarship fund is for children of Airmen, noting her husband Romeo did not have the money available to attend college and wanted to see more children have that opportunity. Originally from Opelika, Ala., Mrs. Ferretti and her late husband had called Tampa, Fla., their home.
AFA advocates education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), to develop the skills that are crucial to air power, national security and economic vitality. For more information on how to support these programs and other AFA educational initiatives, go to http://www.afa.org/aef/cntrbtns/.
Sara Clayton will be pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education specializing in Foreign Communications at Auburn University, and hopes to serve as an Air Force officer upon graduation. She maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school while participating in Marching Band, Varsity Track, National Honor Society, Future Teachers of America, French Club, DECA and Community Theater. She was State Champion in DECA/Financial Analysis Division and second place in the state of Alabama for the National French contest. Her father was a financial analyst for the US Air Force. Nathaniel Gertz will be pursuing a degree in Business Administration at the Ohio State University. He maintained a 3.89 GPA and studied Spanish for four years at high school in Bellbrook, Ohio. He participated in the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society. As a high school freshman, while participating on the junior varsity wrestling team, he took second in the 128-pound class in the South Western Buckeye League. In the AFJROTC program he was promoted to First Lieutenant and then Cadet Colonel and Corps Commander.
AFA is a 501(C) (3), nonprofit organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. AFA has more than 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing more than 125,000 members. Visit AFA at http://www.afa.org.
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