CPL Barton Russell Humlhanz
Arts Scholarship
An annual scholarship awarded to two students attending art courses at St. Leo University or Ringling College of Art and Design.
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Help us reach our new goal of two $1,000 scholarships given annually.
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Eligibility
Application is open to any branch, veterans, first responders and art students within an art-based curriculum and currently enrolled or to be in enrolled at St. Leo University or Ringling College of Art and Design.
Application Deadline
Application is due August 1 of the presenting year.
Awards
Scholarships are announced in September each year. Each scholarship is to be awarded to two (2) students.
Application Requirements
Complete the application and submit all supporting documents to include the following.
Summary of why you deserve this scholarship and why the arts are important to alternative therapies and healing
Two (2) signed references of support
Verification of enrollment
Applicants must demonstrate how receiving the scholarship would help add value to alternative therapies through the arts.
Application criteria, requirements, deadlines, frequency, and award amounts subject to change.
The Barton Russell Humlhanz Story
Barton Russell Humlhanz was born on February 26, 1981, he was my first child and only son. Bart, or BR as he was nicknamed by his family, evolved into a handsome young man nicknamed Hanz by his fellow Marines. At age 5 ½ Bart became a big brother when his sister Nicole was born August 22, 1986, I mention the dates because when his sister was two years old, she told Bart how she could always remember both of their birthdays by relating that each of them was ½ year older when it was the other one’s actual birthday. While he was not always perfect, Bart was the best big brother and son who always loved and protected his mom and little sister.
Bart loved all his family, and he had plenty with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and bonus family too thanks to Don Carey coming into our lives. Bart was 11 when I met Don and while we had some difficult teen years together it was one of our greatest joys when Bart came to Don and told him he was the best Dad he ever had! Bart’s first nephew was even born on the same day that he was. Bart’s sister Nicole had her first son, Isaiah Barton on February 26th 2008.
As a child, Bart played tee-ball and baseball and joined cub scouts and boy scouts for a few years. Bart enjoyed art classes in school and liked to draw and make pottery. Bart also loved music like his mom, and he played drums in school and at church. Most notably on several occasions as “The Little Drummer Boy” for church at Christmas.
I gave Bart my acoustic guitar when he turned 12 and he taught himself how to play and sing without ever learning to read music. Bart was able to play by ear like my uncle, who served in Korea and Vietnam Nam before retiring from the Army, and they were both very good. Bart was so passionate about his music and guitars that he bought another guitar in Iraq during his second deployment because he missed playing so much. Bart had numerous guitars between the ages of 12 and 23 ½ that he traded for or purchased on his own, some acoustic and some electric. Bart even sang and played in a couple bands in school and at a local café near our home in Hellertown, PA. Bart was so excited about those gigs because they paid him to perform, and it wasn’t work at all because he loved music so much.
Bart’s favorite sports teams were the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia Phillies. Bart’s favorite sport was hockey though, street hockey, roller hockey or ice hockey, he didn’t care which! Bart even taught his sister Nicole how to skate when she was barely 2 years old. I must admit he got his love of hockey from me too. Hockey and skating was also a huge binding tie that Don and Bart’s bonus brother Ben shared together too.
Bart always admired and had a huge respect for our military which started at the age of 3 when he went to see his Uncle Steve graduate from Army boot camp. At the age of 17 Bart signed up for delayed entry into the Army. Unfortunately, neither his first or second contract was able to get him the MOS of Military Police, as he was promised, so Bart decided not to enter and found a job on his own just out of high school.
Then 9/11/2001 happened, a day none of us that were there will ever forget. Bart was on a mission to never let anything like that happen to our country again. About 4 weeks later I remember getting a phone call at work from Bart saying, “guess what I did today?” I replied I have no idea, what did you do? Bart said “I joined the Marines…and I leave in 3 weeks” at his own insistence with the recruiter. Bart joined the Marines on 15 NOV 2001 with an MOS of Military Police, as promised, and earned through his excellent testing scores.
Bart received his first meritorious promotion to Private First-Class May 2002 and received Marine of the Quarter at Camp Lejeune in the fall of 2002. Bart received his second meritorious promotion to Corporal June 2004. Bart told everyone that joining the United States Marine Corps was the best thing he had ever done, he worked hard at what he loved and was very proud of his accomplishments, as were all of us.
Bart was killed in Babil Province, Iraq on 26 AUG 2004 during his second deployment as the result of an IED during security operations. It was just 4 days after his sister Nicole turned 18 but we were all so grateful that Bart made it home for Nicole’s high school graduation in June 2004.
Bart’s personal awards, medals, ribbons include the Purple Heart, Navy Marine Corps Achievement, Combat Action, Good Conduct, National Defense, Iraq Campaign, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary, Global War on Terrorism Service, Sea Service Deployment, Expert Rifle and Marksman Pistol. The marksman pistol personally disappointed him since he was previously qualified as expert pistol throughout his short time serving in the United States Marine Corps.
Bart had a great sense of humor, which he seems to have gotten from Don because that was not from me, Bart also had a huge heart too. One story shared with me from a fellow Marine was that Bart had given him the last few dollars he had with 2-3 days to go until payday saying his friend needed snacks to eat and drink more than he did. Bart also mentored many of his fellow Marines to assist them to be successful. Bart also taught a few how to play his guitar too. Many others told stories about how Bart treated everyone like family; he was kind, generous, funny, and helpful.
Don and I miss our son’s smile or smirk as we called it, his laugh, hugs, generosity and love for family, God, and country. Whenever Bart was home visiting or on the phone we always told him “We love you, we miss you and we are so proud of you!” That is true forever and always. Bart is our son and brother, our Marine, and our Hero.
Bart is always remembered, along with all our fallen heroes.
We always speak his name, so he is never forgotten…Corporal Barton Russell Humlhanz, 2D MP BN, USMC.