Virginians for Veterans (V4V) has given a generous gift to establish an endowed scholarship to benefit Ferrum College students. 

The scholarship will be awarded to a Ferrum student who has demonstrated a financial need and is also a veteran, active or reserve military personnel, or the dependent of a military service member or veteran. Preference will be given to those who reside in Virginia.

“Our board unanimously voted in favor of the Ferrum scholarship, and we hope it is the first of many that we are able to provide throughout the Virginia higher education system,” said V4V Director and President Roddy Davoud.

“We are honored that Virginians for Veterans has partnered with Ferrum College to help advance their mission of supporting our veterans and their families,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine ’07. “This scholarship is the latest iteration showcasing Ferrum’s commitment to our military service members and complements our efforts to expand access to more students through scholarships and financial aid.” 

The V4V scholarship comes just over a year after the unveiling of the Craddock Veterans Lounge in the upper level of Ferrum’s library. The lounge is specifically designated as a space for veterans on campus, and was made possible by Army veteran and 1994 Ferrum College alumnus Greg Craddock and his family.

Ferrum College is a Yellow Ribbon partner school, meaning the College works with the Department of Veterans Affairs to match education benefits, ensuring the tuition and fees of a veteran or their dependent is paid in full. This program is commonly referred to as the “GI Bill.”

“As V4V has matured, our board has turned to different means to do good things for veterans and their families. Establishing an endowed scholarship is a wonderful way to assist veterans and their family members as they obtain an education that will help them fulfill the American dream,” said Davoud.

Per their website, V4V is a “charity formed by a group of Richmond business leaders to raise funds for specific local and regional veteran support groups.” To date, the charity has raised nearly $1,000,000 to support veterans. Learn more about V4V here.

Ferrum College will host a virtual Veterans Day celebration on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at 10 a.m. Viewers may watch the ceremony on Ferrum College’s main Facebook page, here.  

If you would like to contribute to the V4V Endowed Scholarship at Ferrum College, please visit here.

Ferrum College invites the community to a special 10 a.m. Veterans Day Program to be held on Veterans Day, November 11, 2019, in the College’s Vaughn Chapel, 40 Wiley Drive, Ferrum. The program, which is free and open to the public, will honor veterans and reserve soldiers.

Ferrum College alumnus and U.S. Army veteran Greg Craddock will be the keynote speaker. Craddock has over 20 years of special operations, intelligence, and security operations experience. He was a member of the Ferrum College football team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1992. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Liberty University.

Craddock now serves as chief executive officer of Patriot Group International (PGI), Inc. PGI was founded in 2005 by former special operations and intelligence professionals to offer services to select clients within the intelligence, defense, and private sectors.  In 2009, Craddock led a group of private investors to acquire PGI. Under his leadership, PGI earned over $10 million in revenue within two years of operation. In 2014, PGI was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Fast 500” which recognizes the 500 fastest growing privately owned companies in the United States.

During his Army service, Craddock served as a ranger and Special Forces soldier, and was among the first boots on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. Prior to joining PGI, he served as an Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) consultant to the United States government.

Following the Veterans Day Program in Vaughn Chapel, the community is also invited to attend the Craddock Veterans Lounge unveiling in Stanley Library, made possible by the generosity of Greg Craddock and his family. Light refreshments will be served.

Read more about Patriot Group International, Inc. here.