Sharene Brown is a nationally recognized advocate for military families and co-founder of Five & Thrive, a nationwide initiative advancing practical, community-driven solutions to strengthen military family readiness. Over more than three decades as a military spouse and mother, Sharene navigated the constant uncertainty of military life, rebuilding community after each move, sustaining family stability during separations, and redefining purpose as circumstances changed.
From these experiences, Sharene came to understand courage not as a single moment, but as a repeated choice to step forward, speak up, and serve others, even when the path is unfamiliar. Her work centers on elevating the voices of military and veteran families and ensuring their lived experiences inform the decisions that affect their daily lives.
Through Five & Thrive, she advances solutions in the five quality-of-life areas most closely tied to readiness: childcare, education, healthcare, housing, and spouse employment, bringing together leaders, communities, and families to turn shared challenges into coordinated action. This work reflects the spirit of the Pillar of Courage Scholarship, honoring courage shown through persistence, leadership grounded in service, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others while navigating one’s own journey.
Scholarship Details
The Pillar of Courage Scholarship in Honor of Sharene Brown highlights courage and leadership, recognizing spouses who serve as pillars within their families and communities by leading with love, strength, and purpose. Its focus is on the courage to support, advocate, and inspire, often behind the scenes, yet always essential.
The scholarship will cover up to one online degree program (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree). The scholarship will be applied directly to the recipient’s tuition for up to 60 semester hours or 36 consecutive months in the selected online degree program, whichever comes first. This scholarship covers tuition, textbooks, and technology fees.
Eligibility
- Be the spouse of a current or veteran service member from any of the six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including Guard and Reserve.
- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Be prepared to begin coursework within 90 days of receiving the award.
- Meet CSU admissions standards for chosen degree level (2.0 GPA for undergraduate, 3.0 GPA for graduate).
- Maintain continuous enrollment and remain in good standing throughout the degree program.
Required Documents
- Title 10 or Title 32 orders for Guard/Reserve members
- DD-214 for veteran spouses (may also require a copy of marriage license)
- For Guard/Reserve, would a copy of the LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) or the NGB Form 22 (Report of Separation and Record of Service).
- A written essay (2,000 words or less) addressing the prompt.
Application Period
The scholarship application will open on January 17. All required documents must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. on February 28.
The scholarship committee will review all applications and select recipients. Award notifications will be issued within 15 business days after the conclusion of the review process. The scholarship will be awarded in March.