New Arizona scholarship would honor John McCain's public service

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to create a public service scholarship named after the late U.S. Sen. John McCain.

HB 2321, sponsored by state Rep. Aaron Lieberman, D-Phoenix, would call for $1 million in scholarship funds to go toward the newly created program. Twelve lawmakers from both political parties cosponsored the bill. 

McCain died in 2018 from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. He had a long career as a U.S. senator for Arizona, which followed service in the military. 

The scholarship seeks to recognize McCain's work on public service, Lieberman said. McCain championed public service in the Senate and sought to expand and protect service programs like AmeriCorps many times over the years. 

Lieberman said there are about 1,800 people currently doing AmeriCorps projects in Arizona. The scholarship would offer a tool to recruit members to Arizona projects, he said.

“Sen. McCain was an incredible champion of this idea of national service,” Lieberman said.

Students would be eligible for the scholarship if they finished a service program through AmeriCorps, a voluntary public service program supported by the federal government. People who complete these programs routinely receive an education award from the federal government afterward. The McCain scholarship would match those funds.

For example, a full-time member who works for AmeriCorps for about one year would receive a post-service award of more than $6,000 from the federal government. It can be used for educational expenses like going to college or paying off student loans. 

Lieberman, a freshman lawmaker, said he’s been thrilled with the support he’s received on the bill from GOP members and within his own party.

“That was really important to me, in part because national service has been historically so bipartisan and in part because I think it’s so important that we get back to Democrats and Republicans working together,” Lieberman said.

How the scholarship would work

The John McCain Public Service Scholarship would match the post-service award for Arizona students.  

Students would qualify for the scholarship if they: 

• Completed a term of service in a national service program that's supported by the federal government and designed to "improve lives and foster civic engagement."
• Receive a federal post-service education award from the service program.
• Use the post-service award to attend an Arizona institution.

The scholarships would be administered by the state's Commission for Postsecondary Education and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Scholarship recipients have to be in good academic standing and use the scholarship within three years of completing a national service program. 

The bill calls for a $1 million appropriation in fiscal year 2019-20, which could increase in subsequent years, potentially to as much as $3 million, if the program spends the whole amount. 

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