Early in 1987, Robert F. (Bob) Seery, NU-’45 and his wife, Maryann, visited me in my capacity as Professor of Naval Science/Commanding Officer of the Northwestern NROTC Unit. I had met Bob and Maryann in 1985 when they were instrumental in organizing a highly successful reunion of WWII NU NROTC graduates. In their 1987 visit, Bob stated that he was grateful to the NROTC program and the Northwestern NROTC Unit for the motivation and direction he had been given, which greatly benefited him in later life. He had always wanted to give something back to the NROTC Unit to show his appreciation. He and Maryann came to ask me what they might be able to do to help the NROTC Unit. They had in mind the creation of a fund through the donations of alumni, but they wanted to know if there was truly a need for such a fund.
At that time, there was increasing pressure from the Navy hierarchy to recruit more College Program (non-scholarship) students into the NROTC Unit. It was particularly difficult to recruit College Program students at Northwestern because the already high tuition was continuing to spiral upward. There were very few students at NU who were willing to join the NROTC Unit as College Program students, thereby incurring an obligation to active duty while paying their own tuition and enjoying none of the tuition benefits of the NROTC scholarship students. The Northwestern NROTC Unit had far fewer College Program students than most other NROTC Units around the country.
I told Bob and Maryann Seery that, if a fund could be set up, it could be used largely to benefit College Program students who might be finding it difficult to keep up with their expenses at Northwestern. That was all the Seerys needed to hear. Bob gathered some of his old friends and classmates, namely: RADM Norman A. (Bulldog) Coleman-’44, Richard H. Nachtsheim-’45 and Donald L. Streit-’45 and formed a board of directors. Since I was retiring from the Navy and the CO/PNS job, they also invited me to join the board of directors. Before we had our first board meeting, the Fund received charitable and tax-deductible status from the IRS and was incorporated in the state of Florida, where the Seerys maintained a residence.
The Seerys got the Naval ROTC Scholarship Fund, Inc. started with a generous donation and with an appeal to Unit alumni for additional donations. We were making plans for our first board meeting when we were all jolted by Bob Seery’s untimely death. Maryann stepped up and took Bob's place on the board. The initial donations that came in were largely in memory of Bob Seery.
Decisions were made and procedures were set up for the CO/PNS of the Unit to nominate deserving midshipmen for the scholarship assistance that the Fund was designed to provide. From that time forward, the board of directors has considered the nominations sent forward by the CO/PNS and has chosen the scholarship winners based on need, merit, and the financial constraints of the Fund’s resources. After more than a full year of active fund-raising, the first Naval ROTC Scholarship Fund award was made at the 1989 Spring Review. That year, one scholarship grant was awarded in the amount of $500. In subsequent years, the total amount of scholarships awarded has gradually but dramatically increased. In 2023, after 36 years in existence, the Scholarship Fund surpassed the million dollar mark in scholarship grants to deserving Northwestern and Loyola students in the Northwestern NROTC Unit. But, the need for solicitations and donations continues. Every year, new midshipmen enter the NROTC program, and the board of directors of the Fund must allocate available funds for scholarship grants where most needed.
Scholarship Fund board members are all volunteers who serve without pay. The current board represents a strong mix of talents and year groups. From time to time, as circumstances dictate, the board of directors will need additional members. Volunteers for board member positions are solicited as vacancies occur.
