For Immediate Release
August 23, 2012

Air Force Association Announces the 2012 Ferretti Scholarship Winner

Arlington, VA – The Air Force Association (AFA) today announced the 2012 recipient of the Lt Col (Ret) Romeo and Josephine Bass Ferretti Scholarship.

This 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 a yearly scholarship of $2,500 to minor dependents of enlisted Air Force active duty, reserve or guard personnel selected with consideration of both merit and need. The first scholarships were distributed in 2008.

This year’s recipient of the $2,500 Scholarship is Rebecca McFadden of Melbourne, Florida. She will begin working on her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Brevard Community College this fall. McFadden displayed great leadership qualities throughout high school, having been Commander for her Air Force JROTC unit, President of her school’s National Honor Society, and Vice President for her student body government. Her academic goals include pursuing pharmacy school after obtaining her bachelor’s degree, and becoming a pharmaceutical engineer so that she may explore and help create new medicines and medical technologies.

“Rebecca McFadden certainly has all the pre-requisites for the scholarship, and her accomplishments to date are outstanding!” said Lew Ferretti. “Rebecca personifies the type of person Romeo and Josephine envisioned as one enrolled in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related degree program. We wish her well.”

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 high school teacher and retired after 30 years of teaching. While she and her husband were stationed at MacDill AFB, Florida, she taught Airmen from the base their General Education Degree (GED) 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.

“This scholarship reinforces AFA’s and the Ferretti Family’s commitment to the sons and daughters of the men and women in uniform,” said George Muellner, AFA’s Vice Chairman of the Board for Aerospace Education. “The Ferretti Scholarship allows us to recognize these young men and women not just for their courage and character but also their leadership and tenacity in the pursuit of higher education.”

AFA advocates education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), to develop the skills that are crucial to airpower, 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/.

The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we:

• EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
• ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
• SUPPORT the Total Air Force family and promote aerospace education.

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