The College Crusade of Rhode Island Awards $2 Million in College Scholarships

Providence, R.I., January 23, 2008 – The College Crusade of Rhode Island announced today that it awarded approximately $2 million in college scholarships this year to 580 Rhode Island students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Many scholarship recipients are from low-income families in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket. Most are attending college in Rhode Island and southern New England.

To qualify for a College Crusade Scholarship, a student must be a member in good standing of The College Crusade, must stay in school until he or she graduates high school, and must show financial eligibility. Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $18 million in college scholarships to more than 2,500 graduates from Rhode Island high schools.

“We warmly congratulate our scholarship students for this academic year,” said Mary Sylvia Harrison, president and CEO of The College Crusade. “These young people kept a pledge they made when they joined our organization – to stay in school, work hard at academic achievement, and contribute to their communities. They are an inspiring example to thousands of Crusaders still in middle school and high school who dare to dream of furthering their education and discovering rewarding careers.”

The College Crusade works in close partnership with the Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority (RIHEAA) to administer its scholarship awards. “College Crusade scholarships are an important financial resource for Rhode Island students,” said William H. Hurry, Jr., executive director of RIHEAA. “These scholarships help expand college access for high school graduates who often must overcome many obstacles to attain a postsecondary degree.”

The College Crusade awards scholarships to eligible Crusaders accepted to all public and private colleges in Rhode Island, and to a number of colleges in other states. Many of these postsecondary institutions generously donate scholarships through their membership in The College Crusade Scholarship Collaborative. A list of institutions that are part of the College Crusade Scholarship Collaborative is available at this page.

About The College Crusade of Rhode Island

The College Crusade of Rhode Island is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income school districts. It serves over 4,000 students per year and rewards the efforts and achievements of financially eligible students with up to four years of college scholarships. From grade 6 through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate in activities that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and readiness for college.

The College Crusade is a nonprofit organization funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.

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Karen Donovan

Marketing and Communications Officer

phone 401 854 5506 ext 120

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