Buck Bragunier and Pat kelly Leadership Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by AFCEA San Diego Chapter
Introduction
These awards honor three distinguished members of the San Diego Chapter of AFCEA. Each scholarship recognizes students who combine excellent academic performance with leadership, extracurricular involvement, and volunteer service in both school and the wider community.
Scholarship overview
- Three separate scholarships of $2,000 each are available.
- Each award is given to one competitively chosen graduating high school senior who plans to attend an accredited four-year college or university in the United States.
- Candidates must be San Diego County residents, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.8, and intend to major in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field.
Application instructions and deadlines
- The Common Scholarship Application will be available for download beginning April 6, 2026.
- Completed application packets must be submitted by email to Gloria McKearney, Scholarship Chair, at gloria.mckearney2@gmail.com and must be received by June 2, 2026. Applications received after June 2, 2026 will not be considered.
- Applicants are responsible for ensuring their packets are complete and submitted on time.
Selection and award timeline
- Scholarship recipients will be selected and notified by July 15, 2026.
- Scholarship checks will be presented at an Awards Reception on August 11, 2026.
2024–25 Scholarship Recipients
Buck Bragunier Leadership Award
- Purpose: Established to commemorate Buck Bragunier and his exceptional service to the San Diego Chapter of AFCEA; Buck volunteered with AFCEA and the San Diego military community for more than 20 years.
- 2024–25 recipients:
- Sophia Tang — Del Norte High School; will study Environmental Engineering at Columbia University.
- Logan Brown — High Tech High, San Marcos; will study Electrical Engineering at Caltech.
Pat Kelly Impact Service Award
- Purpose: A one-time $2,000 award recognizing a graduating senior whose volunteer work has made the greatest impact on the community.
- 2024–25 recipient:
- Jonah DePaz — University City High School; will major in Computer Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Jim Loiselle Impact Service Award
- Purpose: A one-time $2,000 award recognizing a graduating senior who has had the greatest impact through volunteer service in school and community.
- 2024–25 recipient:
- Ramy Jaibaji — St. Augustine High School; will major in Chemistry at the University of California, Irvine.
Contact
For submission and questions, email Gloria McKearney, Scholarship Chair, at gloria.mckearney2@gmail.com.