Jump in to service & scholarship with us on today’s podcast interview! We welcome Bob Atkinson, accomplished US Air Force veteran, current senior at Yale University, and named both a Marshall & Truman Scholar. Bob brings his experience in the military & at Yale to discuss overcoming obstacles throughout his life that fueled a passion for service, as well as the opportunities he created at Yale that led to pursuing (& receiving) multiple prestigious scholarships.
Main Topics
Bob’s introduction & background (0:33)
Decision to enlist, transitioning from the military & the journey to Yale (2:30)
Overcoming an environment of drug abuse & the influence of who you surround yourself with to foster leadership skills, how the military affected relationships at home (6:55)
Air Force special operator training (12:50)
Timeline of transition from the military separation to college admissions (19:35)
Taking classes while deployed to prepare for admissions, leveraging fellow veterans & other resources during the admissions process (23:23)
Eli Whitney Students Program at Yale, what it is & is not, benefits of the admissions path for student veterans (27:30)
Truman Scholarship, what it entails, what was the draw & what was the process to apply (32:20)
Marshall Scholarship, what is it & what the application process entailed (38:20)
Long term goals & courses on the path to get there (43:00)
Advice for fellow veterans applying to college (45:25)
Additional Resources
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