DCC Scholarship Created to Honor Fallen Soldier

Release date: August 5, 2008

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Dutchess Community College has teamed with a military support group official to offer a yearly scholarship in memory of Sgt. Mark C. Palmateer, a soldier from Poughkeepsie who was killed on June 26 while serving in Afghanistan.

All DCC students are eligible for the yearly $500 scholarship, though students who have served in a branch of the U.S. military will be given first consideration.

The scholarship was created by Rob Weiss on behalf of Semper Fi Parents, Hudson Valley, a military parent support group of which he is vice president. Weiss is also a Dutchess County legislator from East Fishkill. He has a son who served in the Iraq war, and a daughter who attends DCC. Weiss, who met Mark on several occasions, described him as a fun and caring man who was courageous enough to put his life on the line by joining the military. Weiss said DCC was chosen for the scholarship because the College places an important emphasis on service, just like Mark did.

“Like Mark, DCC helps people to better their conditions and improve their lives,” says Weiss. “DCC serves the people of Dutchess County as Mark served the people of America.”

For more information about the scholarship, contact DCC Foundation Director Patricia Prunty at 845-431-8400, or Rob Weiss at 845-742-3676.

Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College is a two-year community college with more than 50 years of service to the residents of Dutchess County. It is part of the State University of New York and is one of 30 community colleges in the state system. The College offers a wide variety of associate degree programs, as well as career programs in major technical, human service and business areas. The College also offers non-credit courses through its Office of Community Services to meet the continuing education needs of civic, cultural, business and professional groups and the community at large. The main campus is at 53 Pendell Road in Poughkeepsie, while the Dutchess South extension site is in Hollowbrook Park, Building #4 at 31 Marshall Road in Wappingers Falls.

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