Our Impact

I would like to thank the Hotsinpiller Family for their sacrifice to service and outreach in our law enforcement community. As I did not get the pleasure of meeting Derek. I have met Dustin. I have worked with him in the field of warrants services and I have had conversations with him about his road to being a Deputy US Marshal. This inspired me to further my education. Whenever I have an assignment that I don’t feel like doing or I have just completed a 60 hour work week, a conversation on the phone with Dustin plays in my head on repeat. He said to me that he remembered working full-time at Bridgeport Police department while going to school full-time, while holding a crying newborn, at 2AM all for the purposes of wanting to obtain his goal to someday be a Deputy US Marshall.

This scholarship has provided me with a sense of long-term purpose in my law enforcement career and shown me the true meaning of sacrifice and dedication. I will graduate with my Bachelors of Criminal Justice from Fairmont State University on 07/2024. I am also a full-time Detective for the Nutter Fort Police Department. My goal is to one day be a Deputy US Marshall.

Receiving the James and Derek Hotsinpiller Memorial Scholarship has been and continues to be an incredible honor for me. Hearing Mrs. Hotsinpiller speak of her heroic husband and son at my senior awards ceremony was incredibly moving and inspired a profound sense of pride in being able to be a part of her family’s namesake scholarship. That same sense of pride endures today, as I aim to continue the mission of dedicated service embodied so profoundly by James, Derek, and their family. The Scholarship truly allowed me to pursue my dreams.

The impact of the scholarship was tremendous. It provided awesome assistance in eliminating additional financial worry, allowing focus to remain on school. Being a recipient means having a standard to uphold and a continuous reminder of why we do what we do, and the impact it can have.

Derek Hotsinpiller and I went through the USMS Academy together and were both assigned to the Northern District of WV. He was a great friend, law-enforcement officer, and human being! The scholarship foundation is a great way to help honor his memory! I was honored to receive the scholarship, especially as a non-traditional student, as I started college at age 38. The scholarship paid for a MacBook computer for me to complete all of my assignments and paid for all of my books while attending Fairmont State University. Receiving the scholarship was a blessing, and helped me greatly in earning a bachelor degree in criminal justice. This foundation is a great resource for helping men and women in WV further their education.

The Hotsinpiller Memorial Scholarship blessed my life in many more ways than I could have imagined. It allowed me to complete an education in criminal justice and gain the right knowledge and tools needed to pursue employment in law enforcement on the Federal level. Receiving this scholarship also gave me a sense of being part of the Hotsinpiller family, by how they care so deeply for the recipients they have helped support. The impact the Hotsinpiller Foundation haa had on the law enforcement community is unmatched. My prayer is those who receive this memorial scholarship in the future will continue to carry this legacy for generations to come.

I was very honored and encouraged to receive the Hotsinpiller scholarship to support my education. Each year I appreciate meeting the new recipients and experiencing the support of the community while participating in the 5k. This community and organization motivates me to continue my career supporting the criminal justice system.