WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 619 students from across the nation will receive its prestigious 2015 Horatio Alger State and Specialized Scholarships. These young men and women are recognized for their admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities, despite facing and overcoming adversity.
Horatio Alger Association was founded in 1947. Since 1984, it has administered one of the nation's largest privately funded, need-based scholarship programs, having awarded more than $100 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 concentrated in each state, as well as specialized scholarships, to further its mission to assist deserving young people across the nation pursuing a college education.
"For many bright young students, receiving a college education and degree may seem inaccessible due to financial constraints," said David Sokol, chairman of Horatio Alger Association. "Horatio Alger Association is committed to its core mission of helping talented students who, despite facing both economic and personal hardships, continually strive toward their goal of achieving higher education. The 2015 Horatio Alger State and Specialized Scholars are an admirable group of young people with tremendous potential to realize their dreams."
Collectively, the 2015 Horatio Alger State and Specialized 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. Through the scholarship programs, each recipient is awarded an average of $7,000 to apply toward the tuition of their selected college or university.
"The 2015 Horatio Alger Scholars display remarkable resilience and perseverance," said Tony Novelly, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association. "Each one of these exemplary students is committed to furthering their education and turning struggle into success. The Horatio Alger Association is honored to open the doors of opportunity lighting a path that leads to a promising future."
For a complete list of the 2015 Horatio Alger State and Specialized Scholars, please visit www.horatioalger.org/scholarships. State and Specialized scholarships are funded through the generosity of the following organizations/individuals:
-- Al and Cathy Annexstad Horatio Alger Scholarship Fund (Minnesota)
-- Brinson Foundation and Association Member Doris K. Christopher
(Illinois)
-- Carlyse and Arthur Ciocca Charitable Foundation (California)
-- Crown Equipment Corporation (Ohio)
-- Ebby Halliday Scholarship Fund (Texas)
-- Horatio Alger Association Board of Directors (Alaska, Missouri, New
York, Wisconsin)
-- Horatio Alger Association Endowment Fund (Alabama, Kentucky, Maine,
Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Philip Anschutz (Colorado)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Dean L. Buntrock (South Dakota)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Joseph Clark (Washington)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Randall D. Hubbard (New Mexico)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member John A. Moran (Florida and Utah)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member John Pappajohn (Iowa)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Peter W. Stott (Oregon)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Anthony Welters and Ambassador Beatrice
Welters (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Sidney D. Wolk (Massachusetts)
-- Horatio Alger Association Member Stephen A. Wynn (Nevada)
-- Hormel Foundation and Horatio Alger Association Member Richard L.
Knowlton (Minnesota)
-- Robert J. Hudiburg in memory of John Hardin Hudiburg (Texas)
-- MidAmerican Energy Foundation (South Dakota)
-- Neubauer Family Foundation and Horatio Alger Association Member Alan B.
Miller (Pennsylvania)
-- Joe Robert Scholarship Fund in memory of Association Member Joseph E.
Robert, Jr. (Washington, D.C.)
-- Mrs. Michele Rollins and the Rollins Family, in honor of Horatio Alger
Association Member John W. Rollins, Sr. (Delaware)
-- The O. Wayne Rollins Foundation (Georgia)
-- Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation (Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut,
Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North
Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wyoming)
-- Ronald C. Waranch Foundation (Texas and Southern California)
Later this year, the Association will also award scholarships in Idaho, Louisiana, Montana and Nebraska.
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, the 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.
CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
myoung@briancom.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/619-dedicated-and-inspiring-high-school-students-across-the-nation-awarded-2015-horatio-alger-state-and-specialized-scholarships-300025438.html
SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.
