Son of military hero receives scholarship

Burbank resident Aaron Rifkin was awarded a scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year from the Freesom Alliance Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship is awarded to sons and daughters of military service men and women who have been prisoners of war, missing in action, permenantly disabled or killed during a mission or training accident.

Rifkin’s father, Jeffrey Rifkin, was serving in the Army as a lieutenant colonel when he was killed in a vehicle accident. Jeffrey Rifkin served as a family practice physician in the Army.

Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon said in a release that the scholarship is a tribute to those who have made risks defending the United States.

“To help the sons and daughters of military heroes achieve a college education is, for us, an honor,” he said. ”We believe it is the responsibility of every American to help care for those our military heroes have left behind.”

Aaron Rifkin is a freshman at Cal Poly Pomona and plans to study mechanical engineering and robotics.

“Though I only had six years with my dad, I am absolutely certain his influences on me were strong enough to shape my life,” Rifkin said. “It is his accomplishments as a military officer, physician and father that make me strive that much harder to emulate him.”

More than $4 million has been awarded to daughters and sons of U.S. military service men and women by the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. Visit www.fascholarship.com or www.freedomalliance.org.