Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship

The Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship is sponsored by the brothers from the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Zeta Nu chapter of Eastern Washington University (EWU).  The scholarship is in honor of the fraternity’s EWU chapter co-founder First Lieutenant Randy Turner.

Randy Turner


Randy Turner was a 1968 graduate from the EWU Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program who was a recipient of the Silver Star and in 1969 was killed in action during the Vietnam War.  In 2018 his fraternity brothers decided to honor his service by establishing an ROTC scholarship program.  The scholarship awards one year of tuition to selected EWU ROTC Cadets.  The scholarship began awarding money to recipients in the 2019-2020 academic year.

Criteria for the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship

  1. ROTC student
  2. Preference for student enrolled in simultaneous membership program (National Guard or Reserves)
  3. Demonstrated financial need
  4. Minimum GPA of 2.5
  5. Sophomore standing or higher
  6. Preference given to students majoring in a STEM or Health Sciences program

Cadets that meet the above criteria then participate in a board held by the EWU ROTC Cadre and a university representative to determine who will receive a scholarship.  Cadets grades, physical fitness, leadership potential, and ability to answer questions are all considered by the board when selecting Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship recipients.  Anyone interested in this scholarship should contact the ROTC office for more information.


2020 Recipients of the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship

– Thomas Luce
– Crystal Cruz
– Destin Garcia
– Emma Latour
– James Dutton

2019 Recipients of the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship

Samantha Knight

Kylie Crooks

Emma Latour

James Dutton


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Remember if you have any questions about the ROTC National Scholarship process, please leave a comment, contact our office, or reach out to us through our social media sites. We are here to help and want you to be as successful as possible to receive an Army ROTC scholarship.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

 

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Randy Turner

RANDY VAN TURNER

(U.S. Army)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Adjutant General

Born: 23 February 1944

Death: 25 September 1969

Location: Bien Hoa, Vietnam

Silver Star

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 17W–Line 8


In the Army, when a family loses a member in war, we refer to them as a “Gold Star Family.”  Each of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) graduates that were killed in action we consider them a “Gold Star Alumni” because they are part of our ROTC family.

Randy Turner graduated from Eastern in 1968 and commissioned into the Army’s Adjutant General Corps. He deployed the following year to Vietnam and was killed in action on September 25, 1969. He was posthumously recognized with the Silver Star. After his death Randy left behind a wife and a daughter. He was 25 years old.

Randy during his time at Eastern was a founding member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. In remembrance of Randy, his fraternity established the annual Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Randy Turner and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Randy Turner, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.