CSUN’s veterans will get some love from the university in the form of a scholarship, the Mike Mahony Marine Corps Veteran’s Scholarship Fund, named in honor after the late Marine Corps veteran.

“We are really pleased to have a scholarship such as this focused on our students who have served in the military,” according to a news release from William Jennings, dean of the College of Business and Economics, the scholarship’s founding organization.

The endowment scholarship was created by CSUN and friends and family of Mahony, who died of cancer last year at age 64. Mahony served during the Vietnam War and was a graduate of CSUN’s College of Business and Economics accounting program.

The scholarship will award $2,500 a semester to an active-duty veteran of the Marine Corps working toward a business degree. Applicants must show academic aptitude, scholarly activity, service to the community or personal achievements to earn the money.

Merits do not have to be academic, though, as prospective students leaving the military can get recommendations from their commanding officers, said Associate Dean Judith Hennessy.

While the scholarship was being created, active-duty Marine veterans were receiving a tuition assistance cut, which would have cut their aid by 80 percent.

The Marines reversed that cut and fully restored tuition assistance for active-duty veterans Oct. 27, according to a news release from California’s Camp Pendleton Base.

Jan Mahony, Mahony’s wife and a CSUN alumna, approached the school with the idea for the scholarship, said Matt Rinnert, director of development.

“It is very gratifying for our family to be able to honor Mike’s memory through this scholarship,” Jan Mahony said in a news release. “The U.S. Marine Corps and CSUN had such a positive impact on Mike’s ultimate success, and we look forward to assisting today’s Marine veterans who have given so much to our country.”

The goal was to help a Marine who is a business major, like Mike was, Rinnert said.

“It’s an incredible tribute to Mike and his impact on his families and friends. I’ve talked to Jan so much, and his experiences are just really inspiring,” Rinnert said.

Applications for the spring semester are due Nov. 23., and can be submitted through Moodle on the Business and Economics departments scholarship website.