From the Battlefield to the Classroom

Jul 01, 2014

“I’ve always been a history buff, and I want to teach students the history of this country from the perspective of the men who have defended it,” said Matthew Zifcheck, 30, of Columbia Station, Ohio.

Zifcheck served in the Marine Corps for 4 years, working in infantry in Iraq. Now he’s hoping to take the skills he learned in battle and apply them to the classroom.

“The Marine Corps taught me the value of honor, courage and commitment,” said Zifcheck. “A teacher that is not committed will fail. It’s not the same kind of commitment expected on the battlefield, but it’s no less important.”

To make it happen, Zifcheck began searching the web for scholarship opportunities. He would need the assistance to go to college. That’s when he stumbled upon the VFW "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” and decided to apply. 

To his surprise, the scholarship was granted.

“With this scholarship, I can get one step closer to my goal,” said Zifcheck. “To everyone who made this possible, I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support for veterans.”

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at vfw.org/scholarship.