Boyk Law Veteran Scholarship Celebrates Anniversary

Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, LLC is celebrating the 10th
anniversary of our first Law Veteran Scholarship. The
scholarship was created as part of Boyk Law’s continued
commitment to the service members of the United
States Armed Forces and their continuing education.
The Boyk Law Veteran Scholarship is open to applicants
who are currently attending an accredited college or
university and have served in the Armed Forces, or is
the child, spouse or widow of a US Veteran. The winner
is announced annually on Veterans’ Day, November
11th. Boyk Law hopes this scholarship can bring hope to
those struggling to pay for their education and encourage
students to continue pursuing their educational
goals. Thank you to all those who served and continue to
serve our country.

First Veteran Scholarships Winners: Where Are They Now

Jaron Welty; 2015 Boyk Veteran Scholarship Winner
In November of 2015, Charles Boyk Law Offices
presented a jumbo check to the winner of our first
Veteran Scholarship. It went to Jaron Welty, a Marketing
Major at Bowling Green State University, during a
ceremony in BGSU’s Student Union.

Jaron wrote his scholarship essay about his stepfather,
U.S. Army Desert Storm Veteran Gary J. Holland of
Bluffton, who had raised Jaron since he was a toddler.
In his application essay, Jaron wrote: “My stepfather
has been around since I was at least two years old, so
he is essentially my dad. That fact alone has impacted
me immensely. Stepping up and taking care of my mom
and me showed me that taking responsibility is more
than the right thing to do. He showed me that taking care
of others is the highest form of service. I learned from
my dad how important respect is. Respect for others’
walks of life, respect for authority, and most importantly,
respect for yourself. My dad was able to show me all this
and more, and I could never show him how much I truly
appreciate all of this.”

“We wanted this scholarship to give students not only
the opportunity to pursue higher education, but also to
encourage them to stop and think about the Veterans
who have helped them along the way,” said Attorney
Chuck Boyk. Jaron Welty used the scholarship to reduce
student loan burdens and fund his education. Ten years
later, Charles Boyk Law Offices interviewed Jaron Welty,
the inaugural recipient of their 2015 scholarship, to
commemorate the anniversary.

“My dad brought the scholarship to my attention
because, since it was veteran specific. He was in the
army, as well as my uncle,” says Jaron. His dad served
during Operation Desert Storm.

He says the scholarship application process helped him
connect with his stepfather by learning about the
experiences he had when he was Jaron’s age. “I
remember when I went to write that essay, it opened up
a lot more conversations… about what it meant to him,
and then how it impacted and affected him… I think
writing the essay, helped me connect more with my
dad.”

“Getting to do that with my dad and my uncle at the
same time… I started to learn a lot about them that I
didn’t know before.” Jaron says that the check
presentation ceremony was emotional. “I remember
there were tears, because it was like a thank you to my
dad for helping push me to achieve, and also to Charles
Boyk for offering the scholarship and… giving young
adults the ability to make those further connections with
their family members.”

Jaron Welty majored in business with a specialization in
traditional marketing and a minor in music technology.
Post-graduation, he interned at Brown & Brown
Insurance, where his marketing skills led to a full-time
role. Over time, he advanced to a regional marketing
position. “I now work with 15 offices across the country,
but I’m engaged with the top leaders and decision
makers of the retail division of our company… it has
been a very interesting ride in the most positive way
possible.”

Jaron expressed gratitude for the scholarship’s role in
his independence and career success. “Thank you for
hearing my story at that time, and thank you for the
support in allowing a kid to push himself to continue
pursuing my dreams, for myself and plenty of others
over the years.”

Alex Box: 2018 Boyk Veteran Scholarship Winner
Alex Box won the Boyk Law Scholarship on Veteran’s
Day in 2018. Alex is a proud native of Northwest
Ohio. He and his younger brother were raised by their
father in a modest home in Sylvania. Alex’s dad instilled
his sons with a deep respect for hard work, coupled with
a drive to pursue the most from life.

Alex attended Sylvania Northview High School, where he
was a varsity wrestler and football player. “Shortly into
my senior year of high school,” says Alex. “I accepted
an Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Dayton,
where I went to undergrad, and ended up moving away
once I was commissioned into the Army in 2011.”

As his peers studied for the LSAT (Law School
Admissions Test), Alex honored his commitment to the
armed forces and postponed his law school dreams.
Instead, he enrolled in the U.S. Army Ranger School.

“Ranger school itself was 62 days long, mostly
consisting of small unit tactical training out in the
field… They were very sleep-deprived, food-deprived
environments,” says Alex. The overall point is to make
you realize that you can lead in some of the toughest
conditions that a human can experience. It’s a really
revealing experience. As a leader, I’m pretty fortunate to
have gone through it.”

After becoming an Airborne Ranger, he boarded a flight
to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division for
the first of two combat deployments. “I was a platoon
leader of a 20-person reconnaissance platoon in eastern
Afghanistan, and then I was a battalion and brigade
logistics officer in Kuwait towards the end of my career.”

Alex earned the rank of Captain before concluding his
seven-year Army career in 2018. While in the Army,
Alex also earned his Master’s Degree in Organizational
Leadership, but he was still committed to his ultimate
goal of going to law school. He enrolled at Loyola
University Chicago School of Law in 2018, pursuing dual
J.D./M.B.A. degrees.

When hearing that he won the Charles Boyk Law Veteran
Scholarship, Alex said: “I find myself unbelievably
appreciative of the opportunity to receive the Boyk Law
Veteran Scholarship… While the GI Bill does a great job
helping former soldiers pursue their educational goals,
there are often financial requirements that exceed
the scope of what is covered. Knowing that there are
organizations like the Charles E. Boyk Law Offices that
recognize these facts and are more than willing to help
is a comforting notion. My reaction to being chosen for
this scholarship is not only one of appreciation, but of a
determination to show my gratitude on a daily basis until
I graduate.”

While at Loyola, Alex secured an internship with
JPMorgan Chase and was later offered a full-time position
after graduating from law school. He moved from Chicago
to Tampa, Florida, where he passed the bar exam and
started work in compliance at JPMorgan Chase.
“I’m really a conduit between the law and the business.
You have business activities, you have legal
requirements, and our legal department makes sure that
we have the policy procedures in place to make sure that
we meet regulatory requirements across various business
functions,” explains Alex.

“You have a constantly evolving regulatory landscape.
You have businesses that are always trying to do new
things. And it’s really great to not only see the regulatory
landscape evolve, but also see the business activities
evolve to satisfy those requirements.”

Alex still remembers the impact of receiving the Boyk
Law Veteran Scholarship. “It meant a lot to me… They
gave me a bit of certainty during times of uncertainty. It
helped me to have those resources as early as possible
in the process, which was great, not only financially, but
mentally.”

“I love remaining connected to Northwest Ohio. I’m
very fond of where I grew up, and I’m happy to have
gotten connected with such a great company… I remain
extremely appreciative, as appreciative as the day I found
out that I was receiving it,” says Alex Box. “I think what
they’re doing is a great thing, and I really appreciate it.”
Today, the Boyk Law Scholarship is offered to veterans
and their families all over the country, but it is inspiring
that our first two recipients came from Northwest Ohio.

We are very happy that Jaron and Alex have found
happiness and success, and we look forward to
presenting the Charles Boyk Law Veteran Scholarship to
our 2025 winner. Watch for their story in our next issue.