East Greenwich, RI (May 19, 2020) – Corvias Foundation, a private foundation founded by Corvias CEO John Picerne to support education opportunities for military families, along with Corvias Foundation alumni, recently organized a higher education graduation ceremony on the virtual platform, Zoom, to celebrate its senior scholarship recipients and offer them hope and encouragement in their bright futures. This effort resulted from the increasing number of cancellations of school-led graduation ceremonies due to the health risks they pose in today’s pandemic.
The virtual ceremony, which honored the accomplishments of the ten scholars, was led by Maria Montalvo, executive director at Corvias Foundation, and included heartfelt speeches from both Picerne and graduating seniors, Julia Moreno and Lahela Daniels, whose personal story about being a military-connected student was recently featured as a blog post on Forbes. 120 virtual attendees participated in the event, including Corvias Foundation alumni, all of whom are past recipients of the prestigious annual college scholarship offered by the foundation, scholars of the most recent scholarship class, and family members.
“As I reflect on my undergraduate experience, I just want to say thank you to Corvias Foundation,” said Daniels. “I’ve been able to step into bigger shoes than I expected, and honestly...I think I wear them well! Without you, I would not be where I am today.”
In the midst of these difficult times, as students face uncertainty and their education and traditional college experiences are uprooted, Corvias Foundation 
Founder, John Picerne, has made it his mission to continue caring for the organization’s scholars. Due to Picerne’s commitment, Corvias Foundation scholars have a reliable source of financial aid that they can count on, even in times of crisis.
“What makes you, as military kids, different is what is most needed today,” said Picerne during his speech to the graduates. “You come from a population that is all about the ‘we’ and not the ‘me.’ I have been honored to support you and now it’s time for each of you to continue to lead the ‘we.’”
In addition to a scholarship up to $50,000, each graduating scholar benefits from Corvias Foundation’s beyond-the-dollar support, which includes a dedicated network of fellow scholars and Corvias professionals, conference and internship opportunities, and mentoring, to encourage both academic and professional success. Upon graduation, the scholars will transition to the status of Corvias Foundation alumni, a lifelong community and network that endeavors to inspire others, listen to learn, and contribute to their community.
Since 2006, Corvias Foundation has awarded nearly $14 million to military children, spouses, and children of Corvias employees across 13 Army and Air Force installations.
Corvias Foundation Scholars: Class of 2020
Rose Vetter
The University of Tennessee
B.A. Anthropology Minor in Classical Civilizations
Fiona Pedrick
Occidental College
B.A. in Geology
Samantha Kearney
Ohio State University
B.S. in Public Health with a specialization in Sociology
Julia Moreno
University of Florida
B.A. Sociology
Minor Business Administration
Lahela Daniels
University of Oregon
B.A. Sociology
Minor in Legal Studies
Avyion Fisher
College of Idaho
B.A. Business Administration
Minors in Physical Education, Visual Arts, and Art and Design
Gustavo Capo
Emory University
B.S. Biology
Minor in Economics
Jeyani James
University of Oregon
B.A. Accounting
Minor in Korean
Aliyah Jordan
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
B.A. Global Studies with a focus in Health and Environment in Africa and a B.A. in Exercise & Sports Science
Minor in Military Science
Jazmine Lawrence
Georgia State University
B.S. Psychology
About Corvias Foundation
Corvias Foundation is committed to inspiring students, college and university campuses, and military families to reach higher. Founded in 2006 as “Our Family for Families First Foundation,” our work increases access to educational, internship, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities so that those we touch are empowered to pursue their dreams and to make a greater impact in service to their communities and their nation. We strive to create ever-increasing opportunities by providing the resources and networks needed to help our scholars and partners surpass their goals. We achieve this through a commitment to education, community engagement and high-impact charitable giving. To learn more, please visit: corviasfoundation.org.