Rob Freeman was no ordinary Missouri State student when he began attending in 2003. He was a non-traditional student going to college after retiring from an 18 year career in the United States Army; the last 12 of which he spent in the Army Special Forces as a Green Beret. During his time at Missouri State University, Rob, was recommended to be a recipient of the James W. Dykes Award in Courage and Determination – A scholarship in the College of Business Administration given to students who “must demonstrate exceptional courage and determination in overcoming their adversity to achieve their educational goal.”
Rob, as he prefers to be called, was honored and humbled to be recommended for this scholarship, proud of his service to our country, but not convinced his adversity compared to that of James Dykes who he had run into a time or two on the Missouri State campus. However, his professors thought otherwise because they knew how remarkable his story is.
During his time in the Army Special Forces Rob Freeman was involved in an explosion by an anti-tank mine. In this explosion he lost his left arm below the elbow, sustained injuries to his right hand, had multiple-comminuted fractures to his right tibia and fibula, a sliced pericardial sack, multiple shrapnel wounds throughout his body and the list continues. Rob took his Special Forces experiences and wanted to encourage the curiosity he perceived his injuries might provoke in students he took classes with. He was, as he remembers, twice as old as the average college student. So at the beginning of each semester Rob would take a few minutes and share his story with his classmates and encourage their curiosity and questions. In 2007 Rob graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a minor in Computer Information Systems. Rob knew someday he wanted to return the honor of being awarded the James W. Dykes Award in Courage and Determination.
Recently Rob and his wife, Patricia, established the Rob R. and Patricia G. Freeman Delta Alpha Pi Scholarship. This scholarship will benefit members of Delta Alpha Pi, an international honors fraternity for students with disabilities. Rob was one of the first members when the Missouri State University chapter was established. Their hope in establishing this scholarship was to provide encouragement and a sense of accomplishment to students that have shown a propensity for academics under difficulty that others do not have. Rob and Patricia have said they “would just want to plant a small seed of kindness that may someday be returned in kind.” Rob has paid our country and returned the honor he felt as a scholarship recipient himself. He and Patricia will impact Missouri State and create opportunities for Delta Alpha Pi members and the University for years to come.
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