South University (SU) is proud to announce that four of its military-affiliated students have been selected as recipients of 2026 scholarships from the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME). The students were chosen from a pool of more than 200 applicants, with only 15 scholarships awarded nationwide.
The four South University recipients and their respective scholarships are:
- Rahsaan Coleman – CCME Workforce Credentials Scholarship. Coleman is an online student in the Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies program who recently completed his freshman year. He is a Marine Corps dependent of a veteran.
- Amelia Fiser – CCME Veteran Scholarship. Fiser is an Air Force veteran and online student who has completed her first year in the Master of Science in Nursing, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program.
- Sandrine Tchatchoua – CCME Joe King Scholarship for Active Duty Servicemembers.Tchatchoua is an active-duty Army service member and senior in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program at the Columbia campus.
- Rebecca Bekemeyer – CCME Loretta Cornett-Huff Scholarship for Military/Veteran Spouses.Bekemeyer is the spouse of a veteran and an online student in the RN to Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner program.
As part of their applications, each student submitted an essay incorporating this year’s CCME symposium theme, “The Future is Now: Educate, Engage, and Empower.” CCME’s Board reviewed essays and supporting materials to evaluate candidates on the basis of their dedication, academic achievement, and commitment to advancing educational and career outcomes within the military-affiliated community.
“These four students represent what South University is all about: people who are putting in the work to build careers that matter, while balancing the unique demands that come with military life,” said Benjamin J. DeGweck, CEO and Chancellor of South University. “To have four of our students recognized from a national pool of over 200 applicants says a lot about the caliber of military-affiliated students we serve and the support our teams provide them.”
Founded in 1972, CCME has awarded more than 500 scholarships in support of military-affiliated students pursuing higher education and workforce advancement. South University became a CCME member institution in January 2025, when the university brought on Christopher Deckard as Director of Military Outreach and Initiatives. Deckard, who has been personally involved with CCME since 2017, currently serves on the organization’s executive board.
“All of our military-affiliated students received emails letting them know they qualified to submit an essay for these scholarships, and to see four of them selected out of only 15 awarded nationally is outstanding,” said Deckard. “We joined CCME to open doors like this for our students and give them a platform where their service and academic commitment are recognized.”
The scholarship recognition comes as South University (SU) continues to expand its military partnerships and support services. In 2025, the university saw a 19 percent increase in military-affiliated student enrollment over the prior year. SU has also established partnerships with the Association of the United States Army, the Air Force Association, and the Navy League, and has cultivated relationships with military installations near its campuses, including Fort Stewart, MacDill Air Force Base, Fort Jackson, Maxwell Air Force Base, and installations in the Virginia Beach area, and are also currently engaging in new military initiatives at a nationwide level as well as in our campus areas.
The four scholarship recipients will be formally honored at the 2026 CCME Awards and Scholarships Dinner, held during the CCME Symposium in San Francisco, California.
More info - https://www.southuniversity.edu/admissions/military
