LaShari Tolliver
“As an active-duty spouse, this scholarship will also serve as a beacon to other active duty spouses that we can obtain our degrees despite the frequent moves,” said LaShari Tolliver, of Tuscon, Ariz., on her recent Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship.
“I like to consider myself a true ‘hero behind the hero!’ I have supported my husband through tours in Korea and two tours in Afghanistan while raising our five children, with one of them being severely disabled,” said Tolliver, whose husband, Chief Master Sgt. Larry Tolliver, is currently deployed in the Middle East with the Air Force.
The Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship, which honors the spouses and children of active-duty public safety personnel (firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs and dispatchers) and military men and women, covers tuition for up to 24 months for one specific online degree program with CSU. The scholarship is awarded six times a year to two individuals each time.
The mother of five and CSU student said she wants to use this educational opportunity to continue her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in management.
“I have worked for the Defense Commissary Agency for over 10 years and had to stop working to provide more intense care for my daughter’s special needs. It has been extremely hard to find another job where I can make enough to provide the special care my daughter needs while also bringing more money into the home,” said Tolliver, 40.
“I look forward to working my way up the corporate ladder and eventually finding myself managing a section of a large business firm. I have always considered myself a customer oriented and personnel minded individual and I can’t wait to exercise those traits in the business world,” Tolliver explained.”However, I do realize that I can’t rely on just the education I will receive, but understand that I will have to continuously grow and learn to remain an effective manager and leader. I welcome this challenge head on and will seek out opportunities to further my education and become the best business manager I can be.”
One of several reasons Tolliver said she chose to seek a degree with CSU was because of the school’s good reputation and “I was extremely impressed with the varieties of online degrees that CSU offered.”
Tolliver said attending an online university shows her children “you are never too old to get a college degree. With both of us having our degrees it further solidifies our importance on higher education for our five children, while also proving to others that military spouses are truly the heroes behind the Heroes.”
To learn more about the Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship, please call 888-785-3006 or send an email to hero@columbiasouthern.edu.
Mrs. Tolliver,
First of all I’m thankful for your husbands service to our country, and second I’m happy I’ve made the call attend CSU. After raising my 5 children who range in ages from 24-32, I chose to attend CSU in 2008 after my employer listed CSU as one of the university that would offer a tuition discounts. I graduated in 2011 with my Bachelors of Science degree in Occupational Safety & Health. I’m currently enrolled in the MBA degree program at CSU and I’m learning something new everyday. Mrs. Tolliver, If I can be of any help with your educational matters, please feel free to contact me @ mikephillips59@hotmail.com