FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2018

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

Horatio Alger Association Awards Special Scholarship to Resilient 19-Year-old Aspiring Opera Star, Anthony Anderson

 Following his performance at the 71^st Annual Horatio Awards Inaugural Ceremony, the Association awarded a special scholarship to Anthony Anderson for his dedication to achieving educational success despite facing adversity

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 24, 2018) – 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, has announced that Anthony Anderson will receive a specialized Horatio Alger Scholarship that will cover his Cost of Attendance and enable him to graduate from the college of his choosing with minimal debt, if any.

Following his performance at the 71^st Annual Horatio Alger Awards Inaugural Ceremony in the United States Supreme Court, Ambassador Barbara Barrett, 1999 Member and Vice President of the Association surprised Anderson with a specialized scholarship in recognition of his resilience and strength in overcoming adversity.

Anthony Anderson did not have an easy childhood; he is the youngest of seven and his father passed away when he was just three – the victim of a drive-by shooting. Despite challenges growing up, he discovered his passion at an early age – opera. In high school Anderson taught himself German and Italian, training his voice. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University last year, but was forced to leave school because he couldn’t afford the tuition.  Following his return home, Anderson’s Church invited him to perform where they not only raised enough money to pay off his original college debt, but raised an additional $40,000 for him to return to school.  His performance went viral on social media, and after hearing his story, several prestigious universities – including Julliard, Oberlin and Duquesne – contacted him, and he was featured by various national media outlets.

In lieu of awarding Anderson with a National or State Horatio Alger Scholarship (both have standardized application and selection processes), Anderson’s specialized scholarship will instead be tailored specifically to his needs. The Association will work directly with whichever school he chooses to attend to cover his Cost of Attendance and enable him to graduate from the college of his choosing with minimal debt, if any.

“Anthony Anderson is a true Horatio Alger story – a young man who dreamed a seemingly impossible dream,” said Matthew Rose, president, Horatio Alger Association and 2013 Horatio Alger Award recipient. “Most people would have succumbed to and accepted defeat. But Anthony, like many of the courageous young Scholars we support, has not let the challenges he’s faced hold him back. The Association is thrilled to award Anthony this scholarship, and eager to watch his continued journey towards a bright future.”

Anderson adds, “I would have never imagined that I would be given an opportunity as special as performing in the United States Supreme Court. I’ve arrived at this point because I’ve never lost hope. Receiving a scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association is undeniable proof that I have dedicated myself to excellence. That I will never settle for anything less. I am honored to be living proof that hard work can truly make your dreams a reality.”

Since the establishment of its scholarship programs in 1984, more than 25,000 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada have received more than $143 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members began funding scholarships concentrated in each state to further the Association’s mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.

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

 ###

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 2017, the Association awarded more than $18 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada, and also provided college support services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $143 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.