UA Doctoral Student Named Tillman Military Scholar

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Michael A. LaRocca, a University of Alabama doctoral student in clinical psychology, is one of 60 U.S. service members, veterans and military spouses chosen as 2014 Tillman Military Scholars, a program of the Pat Tillman Foundation.

The newly selected class will receive $1.4 million in scholarships for higher education.

LaRocca, of Milan, Indiana, served as an infantry officer in South Korea and later Iraq, where he earned a Purple Heart. He works with veterans at the local VA while completing his dissertation on predictors of post-traumatic stress syndrome symptoms in combat veterans.

Founded in 2008, the Tillman Military Scholars program supports active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses by investing in their higher education. The scholarship covers direct study-related expenses, including tuition and fees, books and living stipend, for scholars who are pursuing undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degrees as a full-time student at a public or private U.S.-based accredited institution. The Pat Tillman Foundation has invested more than $10 million in educational support and scholarships, benefiting 350 Tillman Military Scholars at more than 98 academic institutions.

UA’s psychology department is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships, Truman Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.