Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation: Empowering Future Generations with Margo Cianchetta

In this episode of Untold Valor, we sit down with Margo Cianchetta, Director of Philanthropy for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation- and a proud Marine Corps daughter and former scholarship recipient herself. Margo shares the Foundation’s remarkable 60-year mission of honoring Marines by educating their children, including Navy Corpsmen and chaplains who serve alongside them. She explains how the program began with one act of generosity and has grown into more than $235 million in scholarships awarded worldwide. Listeners will learn how to apply, how families can get support, and how donors or volunteers can get involved in shaping the futures of Marine families.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• The mission: Honoring Marines by educating their children
• Over $235M in scholarships awarded since 1962
• Support for college, technical, and trade education
• Application window: Jan 1 – Mar 1, 2026 (annual)
• Ways to give- from QCDs to legacy gifts 
• Volunteer opportunities across the country

0:00 – Intro

2:20 – Getting to know Margo

3:40 – Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation history

7:00 – Regional and national reach

8:25 – Upcoming application window & requirements

11:34 – Ways to give: donations, QCDs, legacy gifts

13:16 – Volunteer committees & events

Margo Cianchetta

Margarita, “Margo” Cianchetta is currently the Director of Philanthropy at the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Margo joined the Scholarship Foundation in 2022. She brings more than 15 years of philanthropic & development experience to the organization.  In her current role, Margo is responsible for cultivating meaningful relationships between investors and the Scholarship Foundatin’s mission by Honoring Marines by Educating Their Children in the Northeast region. Margo earned her undergraduate degree in Communications, Summa Cum Laude, from Rutgers University, and also holds the prestigious Certified Fundraising Executive credential (CFRE). Margo is a proud MCSF Scholarship recipient alumna as her father, Sergeant Major Mario Cianchetta USMC (Ret.), served for 28 years in the Marine Corps. Margo is an avid marathon runner and currently resides in Middletown, NJ.

Learn more about the Marine Corps Scholarship Program:

https://www.mcsf.org/

Apply:

https://www.mcsf.org/apply/

Donate:

https://support.mcsf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3569&3569.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&_gl=1*1q87ah1*_ga*MzY4NTE1NTY0LjE3NjU5MDkzMzU.*_ga_H3CPP0X6R0*czE3NjU5MDkzMzUkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjU5MDk4NTYkajYwJGwwJGgw

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