About Operation Thank an Officer Scholarships

Operation Thank an Officer launched scholarships after our President Liz heard about the dwindling recruitment numbers within law enforcement agencies. After speaking with members of the community and the Operation Thank an Officer board, we decided to launch a scholarship program to help students entering the law enforcement field.

Since the inception of our program, we’ve added a number of scholarships including one that supports students of law enforcement officers, the State Trooper Josuha Orbeck Memorial Scholarship, and our new Law Enforcement Scholarship. We’ve gifted over $50,000 in scholarship money.

Want to help support and grow our scholarship program? Consider donating to our Scholarship Fund.

Donate now!

General Information

Operation Thank an Officer independently judges each scholarship application and scores according to scoring guidelines. Criteria used for scoring includes: academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and quality of essay.

Each application requires the submission of an essay. We recommend you write the essay in a program such as Microsoft Word and then upload it to the scholarship form to avoid losing your work.

Funds will be distributed directly to the institute of higher education in the fall of 2024 after verification of enrollment. Funds cannot be distributed directly to the student.

Scholarship applications close on March 22, 2024, and winners will be notified in the summer.

I wanted to express my gratitude for the scholarship foundation and the principles it lives by. I have been so blessed to receive this scholarship because I know that some of my finances for school are being covered. I am currently attending Northern Arizona University and am studying biomedical science. The first few weeks were a major transition for me, but now that I’ve gotten into the swing of things classes aren’t too bad. Loving the fall weather here in Flagstaff and making some lifelong friends. Thank you again for your generous donation and thank you for all the other lives you will touch with this scholarship.

KAYLA, 2018 OPERATION THANK AN OFFICER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Offered Scholarships

Operation Thank an Officer Scholarship

The Operation Thank an Officer Scholarship is open to high school seniors and college students that have a parent serving in the law enforcement field, have a parent that has retired from the law enforcement field, or has a parent who passed away that served in the law enforcement field.

All applicants are required to completely fill out the application and complete an assigned essay prompt.

High School Applicants

One award of $500 will be given.

College Applicants

One award of $500 will be given.

Darius Quimby Memorial Scholarship

The Darius Quimby Memorial Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors and college students pursuing a degree in the law enforcement field, as well as current law enforcement officers pursuing an advanced degree. Note: students studying law (lawyer, attorney, etc.) do not qualify for this scholarship.

All applicants are required to completely fill out the application and complete an assigned essay prompt.

High School Applicants

One award of $500 will be given.

College Applicants / Current LEO’s

One award of $500 will be given.

Orbeck Memorial Scholarship

State Trooper Joshua Orbeck was a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol who passed away in July of 2017 after a months long battle with leukemia. We honor him and his family by sponsoring this scholarship.

This scholarship is open to current high school seniors in the state of Minnesota who have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and will be pursuing a career in the public service industry (law enforcement, military, medical, public safety). Trooper Orbeck achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1998.

All applicants are required to completely fill out the application, provide an explanation of your Eagle Scout project, as well as complete an essay prompt. Members of the Orbeck family will review each application and score according to specified guidelines.

One award of $500 will be given.

Law Enforcement Scholarship

The Law Enforcement Scholarship is open to current law enforcement officials pursing a degree outside of law enforcement, retired law enforcement officials pursuing a degree outside law enforcement, and medically retired law enforcement officials pursing a degree outside of law enforcement.

All applicants are required to completely fill out the application and complete an assigned essay prompt.

One award of $500 will be given.