With celebrations now taking place in honor of Veterans Month, Hostos Community College is recognizing the sacrifices of our military by awarding its first-ever veterans' scholarship.

Students Shalika Ellington and Michael Colon are first recipients of the Joe Alicea Veterans Scholarship Fund. This is the first scholarship of its kind at Hostos Community College which has strong ties to the veteran community.

Hostos has a division dedicated in helping former servicemen and women transition out of the military to pursue their college education. The college was able to double the original scholarship award because of extra funds.

The college scholarship is named after Joe Alicea who recently died. The former Vietnam veteran earned a Bronze Star for his military service and was an administer at Hostos Community College for close to 40 years.

As veteran herself, Shalika Ellington says she's proud to have served in the Navy for eight years. She's now pursing nursing at the college.

"I am very grateful coming out of the military and how hard it can be especially with the pandemic. It's a boost morale and it makes you want to keep going," she says.

Hostos is working to secure funds to establish an annual scholarship for veteran students.