Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, The evening before Benjamin Wergin took off for the University of Utah, Major Margiotta, Sergent Major Falley, Staff Sergent Vizcarra and Sergent Kunst of the United States Marine Corps visited Kemmerer to award Benjamin S. Wergin his ceremonial $180,000 scholarship check, which represents the National 4-year NROTC Marine Corps, scholarship.   

This ceremony would typically occur during the Kemmerer Senior High School award’s night; however due to COVID-19, the award’s night was canceled. Despite this, the recruiting officers from both Rock Springs and Salt Lake City were determined to make it out to Kemmerer in order to celebrate Benjamin’s accomplishment. This scholarship will pay for tuition, fees, books, and a monthly stipend for four years at a university which has a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

Benjamin competed against students from 12 different western states. Several thousand young people applied for this scholarship and out of that group, 300 individuals are “boarded” for final selection. The candidates are then narrowed down to the 22 individuals the Marines feel best exemplify the qualities they are looking for in a United States Marine Corps officer.   

Benjamin and his parents, Barry and Janice Wergin, are very appreciative of the people who made it out to Kemmerer Junior Senior High School to share in the award presentation. Benjamin would also like to extend his gratitude to all the people who have supported and helped him in his journey. He is excited to start on this next chapter of his life and is determined to be an exemplary example of a young man with grit, who was raised in Wyoming.