CWU Marine Corps Scholarship Renamed for Richland’s James Mattis

Richland's James N. Mattis is a name an anonymous retired Marine, and a member of Washington's USMC Support Group, wants to make sure lives on "in perpetuity to always honor General Mattis," who served as the nation’s 26th Secretary of Defense from 2017 to 2019.

To that end, in a press release announcement from Central Washington University, the US Marine Corps Support Group of Washington has officially changed the name of its annual $2000 scholarship to honor Richland's General James N. Mattis, a 1971 graduate of CWU.

The General Jim Mattis Scholarship awards $2,000 annually to a Marine Corps or Navy veteran who has served with Marines. The scholarship recipient is selected by the CWU Veterans Center Advisory Board at the start of the fall quarter each academic year.

Initial funding for the Mattis Scholarship has been provided by a retired Marine and member of the USMC Support Group of Washington, which sponsors the Education Assistance Grant program. His desire is to make sure this grant is funded in perpetuity to always honor General Mattis, who served as the nation’s 26th secretary of defense from 2017 to 2019.

The 2021 recipient is Eddie Eufracio, who served in the US Marine Corps from 2015 to 2019. Eufracio is majoring in clinical physiology.

From the release:

“Eddie Eufracio, our first Mattis Scholar at CWU, as well as our BN Builders Scholar, Jackson Schorno, are great examples of the Marine Corps' third mission of returning great citizens back to society after their service to the nation,” said Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ed Doyne. “They are both squared away, hard-working, and motivated students with clear goals and objectives that are making the most of their CWU education. The Support Group is very proud of both of them.”

The US Marine Corps Support Group of Washington continues to seek donors to provide funding for more Mattis scholars in Washington.