Activities in May highlight private-sector support of higher-education access

USA Funds sponsors sixth annual National Scholarship Month

INDIANAPOLIS — For the second consecutive year, USA Funds^® is teaming up with corporations and organizations to support National Scholarship Month in May. USA Funds, the nation's leading education-loan guarantor, will serve as the national supporting sponsor of the month's activities, which celebrate current levels of scholarship support and encourage broader participation from the private sector.

As part of the National Scholarship Month kickoff, Carl C. Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO, will moderate a May 2 panel discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The panel will discuss "Mobilizing Corporate Support for Students Through Scholarships." The dialogue will focus on efforts of USA Funds and other private-sector organizations to stem the shortage of educated workers that has been predicted to occur in the United States.

"Both the contributor and recipient benefit when the private sector meets the challenge of providing much-needed scholarship support for college students," Dalstrom said. "Deserving students gain higher-education opportunities they might not have enjoyed without financial support. At the same time, corporations help to ensure that they will have a pool of educated employees from which to draw in the future."

An advocate for increased corporate support of education funding, USA Funds has established its own scholarship program aimed at assisting low-income students. USA Funds this year will award up to $3.5 million in scholarships to students from families with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. Additionally, for the second year, USA Funds has contributed a total of $300,000 to three national scholarship organizations that promote access to higher education for minority students.

USA Funds is partnering with Scholarship America, formerly Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America, and with other sponsors in support of the sixth annual National Scholarship Month. Scholarship America is the nation's largest private-sector scholarship and educational-support organization.

"We are grateful that organizations such as USA Funds already are supporting scholarship programs for youth," said William C. Nelsen, president of Scholarship America. "Our goal is to encourage such giving by corporations, communities and others in the private sector to help students achieve their educational dreams and enter society as productive citizens."

For a list of nationwide events to celebrate National Scholarship Month, visit its Web site.