The Pallas Foundation announced Friday the launch of a new scholarship program named in honor of Admiral Mike Mullen (Ret.) to serve underrepresented students in the field of homeland security at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC).
The Adm. Mike Mullen Scholarship for National Security Leadership honors the 17th Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff for both President Bush and President Obama from 2007 to 2011, and also as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations from 2005 to 2007. A 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Adm. Mullen was deeply involved in mentoring and promoting officers from diverse backgrounds to help them achieve the highest ranks in the military, the Foundation announced.
The Mullen Scholarship will directly support the development of emerging leaders in global and national security, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Under the program, each year two students will receive a scholarship to study at AACC from Pallas.
The Pallas Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pallas Advisors, the strategic advisory firm specializing in navigating complex national and international security dynamics, founded by Sally Donnelly, who was the special assistant to Admiral Mullen as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A fixture in defense and national security, Donnelly also served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and as Director of the Washington Office for the Commander of U.S. Central Command, both under Gen. James Mattis.
“We are honored to partner with Admiral Mullen on this initiative. His career-long commitment to underrepresented communities perfectly matches the mission of the Pallas Foundation,” said Sally Donnelly, Co-Chair of the Pallas Foundation. “Anne Arundel is a proven leader in the nation’s community college system, and we are grateful for their support.”
Students pursuing degrees in Homeland Security Management, Transportation and Border Security, or Intelligence Analytics are eligible for the scholarship. In addition to the scholarship funds, recipients will also be invited to leadership development events coordinated by the Pallas Foundation.
“We are honored that the Pallas Foundation selected AACC as its first community college to launch the Adm. Mullen Initiative to help prepare more national security leaders for public service and career success,” said Dr. Dawn Lindsay, AACC’s president. “Both organizations are national leaders, so it is a natural fit that will create opportunities for more students.”
“At AACC, we serve an increasingly diverse range of students that this scholarship will help support,” said Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D., interim director of AACC’s Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute. “Thanks to the Pallas Foundation, we will be able to prepare even more talented individuals from underrepresented backgrounds for careers that safeguard our community and our nation.”
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Pallas Foundation aims to foster the education and professional development of emerging leaders from underrepresented groups in global and national security.
Students interested in applying for scholarships at AACC should visit www.aacc.edu/scholarships.
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