Horatio Alger Association Awards 28 Notable High School Students in North Dakota with 2015 State Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 23, 2015
CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
[email protected]
Horatio Alger Association Awards 28 Notable High School Students in North Dakota with 2015 State Scholarships
In partnership with BNSF Railway Foundation, Horatio Alger Association recognizes young men and women who have demonstrated perseverance and a commitment to education with individual scholarships of $7,000 each
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 23, 2015) – 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 28 students from North Dakota will receive its prestigious 2015 Horatio Alger State Scholarship. These young men and women are recognized for their admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities, despite facing and overcoming adversity. Since 2006, the scholarship has been funded through the generosity of BNSF Railway Foundation.
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 $110 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 also began funding scholarships on a state level to further its mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.
“Horatio Alger Scholars show great strength and resilience in overcoming personal challenges, while maintaining their commitment to higher education,” said David Sokol, chairman of Horatio Alger Association. “These young men and women from North Dakota truly embody the values promoted by Horatio Alger Association and we could not be prouder to support them. We are grateful for the generosity of BNSF Railway Foundation in helping us recognize these remarkable students.”
The Horatio Alger Association received nearly 37,000 applications for its scholarship programs. Collectively, the 2015 Horatio Alger State Scholarship recipients have maintained an average GPA of 3.7 and an average SAT score of 1195 (out of 1600), while coming from households with an average annual income of $19,766. 72 percent of recipients have faced death, abandonment or incarceration of a parent and 37 percent have lived in a household where drugs and alcohol were abused. At the same time, 95 percent of recipients have been involved in community service activities and 61 percent worked during the school year.
Through the scholarship program, each recipient is awarded $7,000 to apply toward the tuition of the college or university of his or her choice. Additionally, Scholars will have access to a variety of resources including college preparatory support, access to guidance and crisis counselors as well as mentoring programs.
“Horatio Alger Association is built on the notion of the American Dream – that with hard work, dedication and determination, one can succeed in the face of adversity,” said Tony Novelly, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association. “The 2015 State Scholars from North Dakota demonstrate these qualities and we have every confidence that they will go on to achieve great success in life.”
For more information about Horatio Alger Association and its 2015 Scholars, please visit https://www.horatioalger.org.
###
About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.