FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2019

CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
[email protected]

48 Outstanding Students Awarded 2019 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarships Worth $10,000

Through the generosity of Horatio Alger Member Dennis R. Washington and his wife, Phyllis, the Association awards undergraduate college scholarships to young men and women from Montana

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 20, 2019) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that 48 students from Montana will receive the prestigious 2019 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarship in the amount of $10,000. Generously funded by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, the philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies, these scholarships recognize young men and women from Montana for their admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities, despite facing adversity.

Since the scholarship program started in 2004, 856 students from Montana have been awarded nearly $5 million. Now in its 15th year, the scholarship program is open to high school seniors in Montana who maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, exhibit financial need and demonstrate perseverance in overcoming personal challenges. Applicants must be planning to attend the University of Montana or Montana State University, or one of their affiliates. In addition to the $10,000 scholarship, the University of Montana and Montana State University system schools provide an additional $5,000 award to each recipient, bringing the total scholarship amount to $15,000 to be disbursed over the course of the student’s college career. As part of Horatio Alger Association’s Collegiate Partners program, the University of Montana and Montana State University, along with their affiliates, share the Association’s mission to provide support and campus resources to Scholars who show incredible promise and have overcome difficult circumstances.

“This group of Horatio Alger Scholars from Montana are an immensely talented group of students who, despite facing significant challenges throughout their young lives, are committed to furthering their education,” said Mr. and Mrs. Washington in a joint statement. “They show such great promise and through our foundation, we are honored to support them on their journeys toward academic, professional and personal success.”

The 2019 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarship recipients have maintained an average GPA of 3.77 and an average ACT score of 25, while coming from households with an average annual income of $20,479.

“Dennis and Phyllis Washington have been extraordinarily generous in their support of the Horatio Alger Association throughout the past 25 years,” said Terrence J. Giroux, executive director, Horatio Alger Association. “They care deeply about our Scholars and about advancing the mission of our organization. We remain grateful for their continued involvement.”

Horatio Alger Association was founded in 1947, and since 1984, it has administered one of the nation’s largest privately-funded, need-based scholarship programs. The Association has awarded more than $175 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships to students from across the United States, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members began funding scholarships on a state level to further the Association’s mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.

For a complete list of the 2019 Horatio Alger Montana State Scholars, please click here.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association, please visit www.horatioalger.org or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2018, the Association awarded more than $16 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada, and also provided college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $175 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

About Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation:

Founded in 1988, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is the major philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies and the Washington family. Funding for the Foundation comes primarily from personal contributions from the Washington Family and profits of The Washington Companies. The Foundation focuses in the areas of education, arts and culture, health and human services, and community service. Since its inception, Foundation giving and the Washington family’s personal contributions and pledges to charitable causes total over a quarter of a billion dollars. The Foundation website is located at http://www.dpwfoundation.org.