Cadet Furtado earns merit scholarship

University of North Georgia (UNG) cadet Vincent Furtado was awarded the 2024 National Military Intelligence Foundation (NMIF) Fecteau Scholarship and received $4,000 on Sept. 8. Furtado, who is pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, is expected to graduate in spring 2026. 

The NMIF awarded 10 scholarships this year, and Furtado, along with three others, received the Fecteau Scholarship, named for Bob Fecteau, chief information officer at Fortune 500 technology company SAIC. Furtado shared that this scholarship process, while rewarding, wasn't easy. 

"I applied while studying abroad as part of a cadet exchange program last semester," Furtado said. "The application process was extensive and difficult. I had to write three different essays about myself and why I am the best fit to receive the scholarship, my plans for the future and how I plan to apply the scholarship to my schooling." 

He shared he learned about the scholarship through the Nationally Competitive Scholarships office and was specifically helped by Assistant Director Dr. Victoria Hightower. 

"Vincent was incredibly diligent in his drafting of this scholarship application," Hightower said. "He worked on it while he was in Taiwan. His commitment to government service and to taking the opportunities at UNG to make himself as competitive as possible, as well as his decision to apply while abroad, are all reasons why he was successful." 

The Anaheim, California, native credits his experience at UNG for his success as he serves as a squad leader in the Corps of Cadets and is also a part of the Chinese Language Flagship. Scholarship recipients will be awarded at the 2024 NMIF Night of Heroes Gala, an in-person formal awards event on Nov. 20 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.