Virginia War Memorial announces 2020 Marocchi Memorial College Scholarship recipients

Ava Mister

The Virginia War Memorial has announced the 2020 recipients of its Marocchi Memorial College Scholarships. Receiving $2,500 college scholarships each are:

Ava Mister, a graduating senior at Lee-Davis High School in Hanover County, Va., who will attend Christopher Newport University this fall and enroll in the Army ROTC program;

Derek Sprincis, a graduating senior at Clarke County High School in Berryville, Va., and Mountain Vista Governor’s School in Warrenton, Va., who will attend the University of Virginia this fall and enroll in the Air Force ROTC program.

Derek Sprincis

The names of both recipients were announced as part of the 64^th Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond on May 25. Because of COVID-19 emergency restrictions, the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony was held as a virtual livestreamed event and the students were unable to attend to be recognized in person.

The scholarships were established in memory of the late Rear Admiral John Marocchi by his family and are administered by the Virginia War Memorial Foundation. Admiral Marocchi served in the United States Navy for decades in a career that spanned World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Legion of Merit and was one the few Navy officers to complete Army Airborne training. He was also a member of the Virginia War Memorial Board of Trustees for over fifteen years.

Two $2,500 Marocchi Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually. Students enrolled in the senior class of an accredited public or private high school or home school program in the Commonwealth of Virginia and who are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application may apply. Applicants must also plan to pursue a program of study in a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at a Virginia public or private university that will lead to service in the Armed Forces of the United States. He or she must also possess an unweighted minimum Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 2.75. A committee reviews the applications and chooses the two top applicants.

Applications for the 2021 Marocchi Memorial Scholarships will open in September 2020.

Complete details, including application forms and a list of required documents, are available online or by contacting Morgan Guyer, Assistant Director of Education at the Virginia War Memorial, at morgan.guyer@dvs.virginia.gov.

About the Virginia War Memorial

The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Inspire Patriotism in All.  Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terrorism.  The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military.  It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.

About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia.  VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans.  Today, VDVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It also oversees the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.