Nine California Students Awarded Verizon Foundation Scholarships

LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Paying for college just got easier for nine California students. They are among 530 students nationwide who each will receive scholarships of $5,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year through the Verizon Foundation's scholarship program for the children and dependents of company employees.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

The Verizon scholarship program selects recipients based on financial need, academic achievement and extracurricular activities.  Each scholarship is renewable for three years and has a total value of $20,000.  For the 2011-2012 academic year, the Verizon Foundation will provide a total of more than $2.64 million for the scholarships.  One hundred scholarships are for incoming freshman, and 430 are for continuing support for previous winners.

This year's first-time California recipients are:

• Jordan Castellanos of Indio High School, son of employee Ricardo Castellanos, who plans to attend the University of Redlands and pursue a degree in biological sciences.
• James Colbath of Rancho Cucamonga High School in Alta Loma, son of employee Laurel Colbath, who plans to attend the University of California, Riverside and pursue a degree in biological sciences.
• Shalin Craig of Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda, daughter of employee Laura M. Smith, who plans to attend the University of California, Berkeley and pursue a degree in world studies.
• Elizabeth Crough of Millikan High School in Long Beach, daughter of employee Robin Crough, who plans to attend the University of California, Los Angeles and pursue a degree in environmental engineering.
• Brandon Dominguez of Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, son of employee Imelda Dominguez, who plans to attend the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and pursue a degree in computer science.
• Sabrina Pimentel of Westminster High School, daughter of employee Sandra Pimentel, who plans to attend the University of California, San Diego and pursue a degree in biochemistry.
• Christine Quan of Pleasant Grove High School in Sacramento, daughter of employee John Quan, who plans to attend Stanford University and pursue a degree in bioengineering or chemical engineering.
• Chelsi Reina of Oak Hills High School in Hesperia, daughter of employee Cheryl Hemenover, who plans to attend California State University, Fullerton and pursue a degree in business/management studies.
• Brendon Villalobos of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, son of employee Carlos Villalobos, who plans to attend Columbia University and pursue a degree in the classics.

Since 2001, the scholarship program has invested more than $42.3 million toward the college education of children and dependents of Verizon employees, benefitting 2,353 students.

"Congratulations to this year's California scholarship recipients and their parents," said Tim McCallion, president-public affairs, policy and communications for Verizon's Western region.  "Our scholarship program has provided support for the education of more than 2,000 employees' children over the past decade, and it is one of the many ways Verizon invests in the development of our future leaders."  

The Verizon Foundation awards the scholarships in partnership with Scholarship America, the nation's largest nonprofit, private sector scholarship and educational support organization, which was founded in 1958.

A list of the Verizon scholars for 2011 is available on the Verizon Foundation website at www.verizonfoundation.org.

The Verizon Foundation uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention. In 2010, the foundation awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 104 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon