Riverhead NJROTC Cadet Corwin lands prestigious college scholarship

Riverhead High School senior Brianne Corwin has been awarded a prestigious reserved $180,000 Naval ROTC scholarship, which has not been granted to a Riverhead student since 2012.

The scholarship provides full tuition to the college of her choice, as well as a quarterly textbook stipend and a monthly allowance.

The reserved scholarship will be awarded this year to only five other cadets in Corwin’s district, which spans Long Island, New York City, northern New Jersey and part of Westchester.

Corwin is currently the executive officer of Riverhead’s NJROTC, one of the most prominent leadership positions in the unit.

She has also received two nominations  — from former congressman Tim Bishop and Lt. Col. Peter G. McCarthy (USMC- Retired) to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where her application is under review. She has been accepted at a number of colleges, including Fordham University, Stony Brook University, Pace University, Drexel University, SUNY Binghamton and others and is  awaiting decision from her preferred college, the University of Florida, where she plans to study materials sciences and engineering.

“It’s important to me to pursue a career where I’m helping other people,” she said.

Corwin is involved in numerous extra-curricular activities at Riverhead. In addition to her position as executive officer in NJROTC, she is also the commander of the personnel inspection team, and she has been the commander of the unit’s air rifle team since 2013.

She is a member of the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Club, and the National Honor Society. She also plays sports; she is a member of Riverhead’s Varsity Winter Track and Field team and girls’ golf, and she has previously been involved with the school’s tennis team.

Her academic record also made her an excellent candidate for the scholarship. She is an AP Scholar and is currently in the top 6 percent of Riverhead’s graduating class of 2015.

“She really earned this,” said Corwin’s guidance counselor, Chris Martin. “It is rare for me to see a student work so hard to achieve and improve herself. I am very proud of her.”

Top caption: Riverhead High School senior Brianne Corwin, center, with her parents, Todd and Mary Anne, seated, with, (standing,  from left) Lt. Col. Peter McCarthy, RHS principal Charles Regan, assistant principal Sean O’Hara and guidance counselor Chris Martin.