The Virginia War Memorial has announced the 2025 student recipients of its Marocchi Memorial Scholarships. Receiving $2,500 college scholarships each are:
(High School Recipients)
- Owen James Hoy, a graduating senior at North Stafford High School in Stafford, Va. who will attend James Madison University and participate in the U.S. Army ROTC program.
- Leonardo Valli, a graduating senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Va. who will attend the University of Virginia: College of Engineering and Applied Science and participate in the U.S. Space Force under the U.S. Air Force ROTC program.
(College Recipients)
- Riley McDonough of Colonial Beach, Va. is currently a student at Christopher Newport University majoring in Cybersecurity and a participant in the U.S. Army ROTC program.
- Veronica Thieman of Fairfax, Va. is currently a student at the University of Virginia majoring in Cognitive Science and a participant in the U.S. Air Force ROTC program.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw, and Virginia’s Adjutant General James Ring joined Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Director of the Virginia War Memorial, in recognizing and congratulating the 2025 Marocchi Memorial Scholarship recipients at the 69th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond on May 26.
“Educating youth is one of the key missions of the Virginia War Memorial and awarding the Marocchi Memorial Scholarships each year during the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony is always the highlight of the event for the winners, their families and the many veterans and other Virginians who attend,” said Dr. Mountcastle. “These young men and women represent the best and the brightest and have chosen to serve their Nation as members of our Armed Forces after graduation. They deserve our admiration and respect.”
“We had so many applications from such incredible students,” noted James Triesler, Virginia War Memorial Education Director. “We are thrilled to be able to award scholarships to these four exceptional candidates.”
The Marocchi Memorial Scholarships were established in 2015 in memory of the late Rear Admiral John Marocchi of Rappahannock County, Va. by his family and other donors and are administered by the nonprofit Virginia War Memorial Foundation.
Admiral Marocchi served with distinction in the United States Navy for decades in a career that spanned World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Legion of Merit and was one of the few Navy officers to complete Army Airborne training. He was also a member of the Virginia War Memorial Board of Trustees for over fifteen years.
The Marocchi Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually by the Virginia War Memorial. Students enrolled in the senior class of an accredited public or private high school or home school program in the Commonwealth of Virginia or who are currently participating in a ROTC program at a Virginia college or university and who are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application may apply.
Applicants must also plan to pursue a program of study in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at a Virginia public or private university or be currently participating in a ROTC college program that may lead to service in the Armed Forces of the United States. Applicants must also possess an unweighted minimum Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 2.75.
Applications for the 2026 Marocchi Memorial Scholarships will open in September 2025.
Complete details, including application forms and a list of required documents, will be available online at https://vawarmemorial.org/learn/contests-scholarships/ or by contacting Lizzie Oglesby, Virginia War Memorial Education Outreach and Programs Manager at elizabeth.oglesby@dvs.virginia.gov.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth, and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms.
The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military. It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, except for select events. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with 50 operating locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates three long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.