April 15th Application Deadline for The Sallie Mae Fund 'First in My
Family' and 'American Dream' Scholarships
RESTON, Va., March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sallie Mae Fund -- the
philanthropic arm of the nation's leading saving-and-paying for college
company, Sallie Mae -- today reminded students and families that several
important scholarship application deadlines are right around the corner.
For those students looking to apply for The Sallie Mae Fund "First in My
Family" or "American Dream" scholarships, applications must be received no
later than April 15, 2007. Interested applicants can download applications
today at http://www.salliemaefund.org.
Developed in partnership with the Hispanic College Fund, The Sallie Mae
Fund "First in My Family" scholarship program offers scholarships ranging
from $500 to $5,000 to Hispanic-American students who are the first in
their family to attend college, and have financial need. The "American
Dream" program was developed in partnership with the United Negro College
Fund, and offers scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 to
African-American students with demonstrated financial need. Another major
Sallie Mae Fund scholarship program, the "Unmet Need" scholarship program,
provides last-dollar resources to students with a combined income of
$30,000 or less and has a deadline of May 31, 2007.
The Sallie Mae Fund offers scholarships through a number of programs
that address a common barrier to higher education access. These
scholarships provide vital funds for students and families who in many
cases would not be able to afford a higher education. This year, The Sallie
Mae Fund will once again provide $2.5 million in college scholarships to
roughly 1,000 deserving students pursuing higher education this fall.
Thousands of students from across the country have realized their dream
of a college education through scholarships provided by The Sallie Mae
Fund. "First in My Family" scholarship winners have expressed their
gratitude and continued support for these programs:
"No one in my family was able to further his or her education past high
school, and I feel very proud for having achieved that ... I feel fortunate
to be chosen for this award and wish to extend my gratitude to this
program. You have taken a big burden of worry away from my family."
Andrea Solano, Freshman
Notre Dame University
South Bend, Ind.
"This money will help with my tuition and make it possible for me to
continue my education. I hope to give back to the community that has given
me so much throughout my lifetime and this scholarship gives me the ability
to do that ... This is one of the most meaningful awards I have won and I
look forward to receiving more like this."
Darryl Auguste, Sophomore
Yale University
New Haven, Conn.
" ... Just knowing there are people out there that care about the
education of Latinos in the United States makes me want to worker harder,
and use my accomplishments as a 'thank you.' Many of us sometimes are
stopped or discouraged from continuing school because of economic problems,
but foundations like this are what makes the future of tomorrow brighter."
Gabriela Perez, Sophomore
DePaul University
Chicago, Ill.
" ... Once again in my life, you and people like you are giving me the
chance and the key to new opportunities and new doors for a higher level of
education. My family and I cannot begin to describe how grateful we are. I
thank you for your confidence and willingness to help me achieve my goals
and for making my dream of attending a four-year university come true."
Citali Perez-Jimenez, Junior
University of Washington, Seattle
Seattle, Wash.
" ... Because of your generosity, my bill at the University of Illinois
will be $11 a semester! Once again thank you from the bottom of my heart
for this scholarship, and for selecting me amongst the thousands that
applied. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for allowing me to
study into a higher education and helping me pursue my dreams of becoming a
physician."
Regina Mendez, Freshman
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, Ill.
" ... It hasn't been easy these two years, but with the help of
organizations like yours who make dreams come true, students like myself
can pave our way to a higher education that will bring success to our lives
and families."
Tanya Castillo, Junior
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Ill.
" ... Due to various socioeconomic factors, accessing higher education
has been challenging, however, with the support from my family and The
Sallie Mae Fund First in My Family Scholarship award, I am able to devote
full attention to becoming a good nurse."
Armando Reyes, Junior
University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center
Boulder, Colo.
"You have truly been one more big reason for us to get inspired to
continue to achieve small things that someday, god willing, will help us
arrive at that place where we should all strive to arrive at -- to be able
to help others achieve their dreams."
Ashley Dalmau, Freshman
University of Notre Dame
South Bend, Ind.
"I would like to thank The Sallie Mae Fund for this donation and
investing in my education. This award expresses your belief in me and what
I can accomplish; your trust encourages me to keep striving. This award
will help me pay for tuition and books, and it will allow me to allocate
more time toward school."
Carlos Ayala, Senior
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, Wash.
" ... Thanks to your generous contributions, my chances of succeeding
have greatly increased by giving me the opportunity to focus entirely on
school instead of going to school and working full time trying to pay for
it."
Fernando Hernandez, Freshman
University of New Mexico
Alburquerque, N.M.
"I'd like to thank you for making this scholarship available to those
of us who come from families who have never been to college and are,
therefore, very proud to be the first to represent our families in this
way. It is a great thing that I am able to represent my family in a way
that was not possible for past generations, although they would have hoped
it would be for future generations."
Gabriel White, Sophomore
University of Colorado at Denver
Denver, Colo.
" ... I am enormously appreciative of the help that is being given to
me by this foundation ... Your contribution towards students who don't have
the resources to pursue an education, although it may not seem like it,
helps us significantly."
Katherine Lopez, Freshman
Montgomery College
Germantown, Md.
These testimonials represent only a small fraction of students that
have benefited from The Sallie Mae Fund scholarship programs. For a
complete listing of 2006 scholarship recipients and testimonials or for
2007-2008 scholarship information and deadlines, visit
http://www.salliemaefund.org.
The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae,
achieves its mission -- to increase access to a postsecondary education for
America's students -- by supporting programs and initiatives that help open
doors to higher education, preparing families for their investment, and
bridging the gap when no one else can. For more information, visit
http://www.salliemaefund.org.
SOURCE The Sallie Mae Fund
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Related links:
http://www.salliemaefund.org
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/827187.html/
CONTACT:
Rick Castellano, +1-703-984-5535,
richard.castellano@salliemae.com, for The Sallie Mae Fund
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