SAN DIEGO, Sept. 19, 2011 – Ashford University will honor deceased U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Robert “Bobby” Buotte Jr. and his surviving husband or wife Marilyn “Mal” Hughes at an awards ceremony on Sept. 19 in Pocasset, Mass. Buotte would be the 1st recipient of Ashford’s new Posthumous Diploma and Hughes the primary recipient of Ashford’s new Surviving Spouses Scholarship.
Ashford University lately launched its Surviving Spouses Scholarship, a scholarship which will award tuition, publications and additional added benefits to the spouses of fallen company members who attended Ashford University. The college has also established a practice for awarding posthumous degrees to college students who have been near to completion, but handed away just prior.
“Ironically, it had been Buotte’s loss of life that inspired the scholarship,” stated Doug Barling, senior director of military relations for Ashford University. “Just hrs following I heard about Robert’s passing, I started to draft the Ashford University Surviving Spouses Scholarship and now, almost a calendar year afterwards, the very first recipient on the scholarship turns out to become Robert’s spouse!”
The award presentation will commence at six p.m. at the Pocasset Golf Club following a advantage golfing tournament in memory of Chief Warrant Officer Buotte. Barling will existing Hughes with both equally her late husband’s bachelor of arts diploma and her surviving spouses scholarship. More than a hundred friends and family members are predicted to go to the ceremony to honor Buotte’s lifestyle.
Buotte, a former Ashford College pupil and Coast Guardsman, handed absent unexpectedly in late Oct 2010. He had been a distinguished member of your U.S. Coast Guard for 28 ages and resided in South Yarmouth, Mass. For the duration of Buotte’s company, he was awarded the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, 4 Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and two Commandant Letters of Commendation.
“Ashford College deeply values its connection together with the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Barling. “We prolong benefits not only to people who dress in the uniform, but additionally to their spouses, Division of Defense (DOD) staff members, civilian staff on the U.S. Coast Guard and also the Division of Veterans Affairs, also as students applying Veterans Affairs (VA) training benefits.”