JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A St. Johns County mother whose 25-year-old son was shot and killed in October while serving in Iraq has set up a scholarship in his honor at her son's alma mater: the University of North Florida.

Amy Vazquez has set up the Marine Cpl. Joshua Watkins Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund to help individuals in the military go back to school and get a degree, the university announced Thursday.

Men and women actively serving in the military, reservists, honorably discharged or in the ROTC are eligible for the scholarship. Vazquez and UNF officials also encourage people to contribute to the scholarship fund.

Watkins, who graduated from Nease High School before attending UNF, joined the Marines.

He was a member of the 2nd Tank Battalion based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. He was killed while on foot patrol in Fallujah less than two weeks before he was due to return home.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the scholarship can make checks payable to the UNF Foundation and send them to UNF, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road South, Jacksonville, FL 32224, Attn: Rod Grabowski.

For more information, call UNF at 904-620-2264.