The Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) established the Colonel Isabelle “Jo” Swartz Memorial Scholarship to render financial assistance to graduating high school seniors, the leaders of tomorrow
Isabelle Josephine “Jo” Swartz, Colonel, USA (Ret) 1922 -2012 was born October 10, 1922 at Ft. Lewis, Washington, to (then) Lieutenant and Mrs. Charles H. Swartz.
As an Army child, Jo lived at Army posts in Hawaii, California, Oklahoma, Utah, Missouri, and Washington, D.C. She graduated from Lawton High School in Oklahoma and received her baccalaureate degree from Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and History. In 1955, Jo received a direct commission into the United States Army’s Women Army Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington, marking the beginning of twenty years of service in the Regular Army followed by service in the Washington Army National Guard.
During her Army service, Jo recognized the importance of continuing education and worked to complete the Public Affairs Course at the University of Wisconsin. She continued on to graduate from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C. Jo was a student of military heraldry, her Coat of Arms design for the U. S. Army Women’s Army Corps School was accepted, approved, and issued as an official distinctive unit insignia by the U. S. Army Institute of Heraldry.
In the years following her retirement, Colonel Jo (as she came to be called), served as a volunteer with several patriotic organizations. She was an American Red Cross volunteer, an officer on the Board of the Ft. Lewis Military Museum, and Commander, Regional Commander, and national staff officer of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW). Additionally, Col Jo served as Vice Regent and Regent for the Mary Ball Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R), for which she was selected as the 2002 Washington State Outstanding Regent. Never married, Colonel Jo devoted her life to the service of others with a particular interest in supporting educational opportunities for military children. Her legacy is enduring with her donation to the Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter of AUSA to start a scholarship fund to help the children of our Service Members in their pursuit of education.
To apply for an AUSA Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
✓ Be a current member of AUSA (OR the child of a parent/legal guardian of a current AUSA member) AND affiliated with the Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter
✓ Be a graduating high school senior applying for fall entry as an undergraduate to attend an accredited college or university
✓ Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA (minimum) through the first semester of the current academic year
✓ Have demonstrated exceptional leadership, volunteerism and service to the community
1 February 2022 through 1 April 2022
Complete and submit your application packet to:
AUSA (ATTN: CMLC Scholarship)
P.O. Box 33181
JBLM, WA 98433
The application packet must be post-marked by April 1st, 2022.
Ensure your email address on the application is correct, all correspondence to include notification of the receipt of your application will be via email.
APR 2022-MAY 2022
The selection process begins. You will receive an invitation to the Chapter Scholarship Ceremony where the scholarship recipients will be announced.
Jun 2022
Chapter Scholarship Ceremony. If you are awarded a scholarship, enrollment verification must be provided for the upcoming semester in order to receive your award.
To apply for the scholarship, click the link below to download the application packet
1.) Completed Application
2.) Current Transcript of Grades
3.) Proof of Admission to an Accredited College or University
4.) Essay describing how your experiences helped refine your definition of leadership and how this scholarship will help you achieve your leadership goals
5.) Letters of Recommendation
6.) Privacy Act Statement, signed
7.) 5×7 Photograph
The AUSA Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter Scholarship Program began with a contribution donated in the memory of Colonel Jo Swartz and is sustained by chapter activities, meetings, and events held at the local level, as well as donations.
Make a tax deductible donation online by clicking donate below or by sending a check (addressed “AUSA Chapter Scholarship Program”) to:
AUSA (ATTN: CMLC Scholarship Committee)
P.O. Box 33181
JBLM, WA 98433
All contributing individuals and Community Partners will be recognized at the Scholarship Award Ceremony.
For questions regarding the scholarship program, please email [email protected]
