Newswise — Wilmington, N.C. (May 28, 2013) – UNC Wilmington announced today that Trask Land Company, led by President Raiford Trask III, has established a merit scholarship at the university to benefit active-duty U.S. Marines and members of their families. Preference will be given to Marines wounded in action or who serve in special operations.

“We are excited to be able to work with two of our state’s great institutions, UNCW and the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, to offer the ‘Trask Land Company Champions of Freedom Scholarship,’” said Trask, a member of the UNC Board of Governors. “We are also humbled by the opportunity to provide a helping hand to a group of people who serve our country every day. Another exciting aspect of the Champions of Freedom footprint is that it creates a roadmap for other like-minded people to support our military through education.”

Trask Land Company chose to establish the scholarship at UNCW because the university offers a number of educational programs tailored for members of the military and their families. In Onslow County, UNCW, Coastal Carolina Community College and Camp Lejeune collaboratively operate a model program specifically designed for active-duty Marines, veterans and their dependents.

“On behalf of the university, I want to thank Raiford Trask III for his leadership in supporting educational opportunities for Marines and their family members enrolled at UNCW,” Chancellor Gary L. Miller said. “We’re grateful that he decided to endow the Trask Land Company Champions of Freedom Scholarship at UNCW.”

Members of the Trask family have a long history of supporting UNCW’s academic and athletic programs. Raiford Trask III served on the UNCW Campaign Cabinet for the university’s most recent fundraising campaign, which raised more than $66 million in philanthropic contributions. Trask Coliseum is named for his grandfather Raiford G. Trask, benefactor and former trustee of Wilmington College. He was instrumental in relocating the institution to its current campus on South College Road.

For more information about applying for scholarships, please visit the UNCW Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid at www.uncw.edu/finaid. For more information about the university’s Onslow County Extension site, please visit www.uncw.edu/onslow.