As a U.S. Marine, Jason Cohen embraced the sport of CrossFit to keep himself physically fit and battle-ready.
The veteran and senior finance major in the School of Business at the College of Charleston hopes to turn his passion for the popular fitness philosophy into a thriving business after he graduates in December 2014.
Thanks to the inaugural Friends of the Library Scholarship for Veterans that Cohen received this year, he’s one step closer to his goal of becoming part owner and general manager of CrossFit Discovery, a gym in downtown Charleston.
The impetus for the scholarship was a campus lecture in November 2013 by best-selling author, journalist and filmmaker Sebastian Junger. Hosted by the Friends of the Library, Junger’s talk centered on his time as a journalist embedded with the U.S. military in Afghanistan. The experiences are recounted in Junger’s 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary “Restrepo” and his bestselling book “War.”
Through proceeds from the Junger event as well as generous leadership gifts from donors, the scholarship fund has so far raised $30,000 – enough to provide six annual scholarships worth $5,000 each.
RELATED: Watch a video of students sharing their reactions to Sebastian Junger’s talk.
Semper Fi
Cohen grew up outside of Boston and attended a nearby military college for one semester before joining the Marine Corps and serving as an aircraft mechanic from 2007 to 2012. He was assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, S.C, but a large portion of his enlistment was spent on deployments overseas.
In Beaufort, Cohen became interested in CrossFit and began training other Marines. At that time, CrossFit was beginning to explode onto the exercise and fitness scene – a surge in popularity fueled in part by military personnel.
Now 29, Cohen says he loved the military and planned on making it a career. But then he fell in love and got married. After he and his wife, Emma, had a daughter, Cohen decided that the frequent deployments were too much on his family.
When he re-entered civilian life in 2012 he discovered that his military occupation was in great demand from companies like Boeing and Raytheon. But by then he’d set his sights on a career in the financial industry. He enrolled at the College of Charleston in 2012 with hopes of someday returning to the Northeast and working on Wall Street.
As soon as Cohen got his family settled in Charleston and started classes at the College, he began scouting around for a CrossFit gym to satisfy his “personal addiction” and earn some money. He soon signed on to teach group and private lessons at CrossFit Discovery on Society Street.
While the Post 9/11 GI Bill helped finance his education and his part-time job helped pay the bills, Cohen says it was tough supporting his family without the steady income he’d had the military.
Fortunately, Cohen’s near-perfect GPA and his status as a veteran have helped him qualify for scholarships that have helped ease the financial burden. In addition to the veterans scholarship he received this year, Cohen also was a recipient of a Boeing Scholarship in 2013-14. Cohen learned about the scholarships from Veterans Affairs Coordinator Scott Woolum, who works closely with many of the College’s veteran students.
RELATED: Read an article about Cohen receiving the Boeing Scholarship.
“It definitely helps,” Cohen says of the scholarships. “Even though my school was paid for, coming from a middle-income job, it’s hard to drop down to a part-time job and support a family. The scholarships really reduced how much I had to borrow.”
Jenny Fowler, Regional Director of Development at the College of Charleston, says Cohen embodies the intent behind the Friends of the Library Scholarship for Veterans.
“The majority of veteran students are non-traditional students,” Fowler says. “They have families and other responsibilities and they may not have the resources to attend college and just focus on school.”
As he learned more about business and finance in his classes, Cohen began to recognize that Crossfit could be more than a hobby and a way to stay in shape. He could build a career doing something he loved right here in Charleston, and he wouldn’t have to uproot his family again.
As he finishes his fall classes and prepares to embark on his business venture, Cohen says he’s grateful to all the professors, staff and donors at the College who have helped him make a smooth transition from the military.
“As an unconventional student I was worried about the shift from military to civilian life,” Cohen says. “The College of Charleston made the transition as seamless as possible and led me to an amazing career opportunity that allows me to help others improve their health and puts my business degree to use.”
