A FAMU student is the first in the nation to receive a scholarship from a famous morning talk show host.

Afton Nealy is a senior studying business administration, but five years ago, she was dodging gunfire and explosives in Tikrit Iraq.

Nealy just received a 15-hundred dollar scholarship from the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

"I was just so excited. I dropped the phone and I was screaming and was just really,really happy. He told me my mother nominated me and I just called her and said thank you," Nealy said with a grin.

The Tom Joyner Morning Show is giving the scholarships to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who are attending historically black colleges. It will help them cover expenses not covered by the G-I bill.

Nealy says she will use the money to help pay for graduate school.

Nealy joined the army in high school and says she was actually on a firing range learning how to fire a gun when terrorists attackedon 9-11.

Nealy spent a year in Iraq as a petroleum supply specialist. She says she was in the thick of the fighting in Sadam Hussein's hometown and had many close calls while on duty.