Scholarship America® Announces New Board Member

J. Barry Griswell, President, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines

MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scholarship America®, the nation's leading nonprofit scholarship and educational support organization, is pleased to announce that J. Barry Griswell, President, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, has been elected to serve as a member of Scholarship America's Board of Trustees.

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Mr. Griswell currently serves as president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, a donor-driven public foundation whose purpose is to improve the quality of life in Greater Des Moines through philanthropy. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Mr. Griswell led a distinguished career with the Principal Financial Group, where he served as chairman, president, and chief executive officer. Mr. Griswell has more than 35 years of experiences in the financial services industry, including more than 20 years in executive management with the Principal Financial Group.

"As a first-generation college graduate, I know very personally the importance of education. It is the great economic equalizer. Without a scholarship I would have been much less likely to graduate from college and eventually acquire a master's degree. I now have a passion for ensuring that all young people who earn the right to attend an institution of higher learning will have the opportunity to do so. I can think of no better entity with which to partner to pursue this passion than Scholarship America," said Griswell. "I am honored to serve, and look forward to my association with this wonderful organization."

"I have had the opportunity to work with Barry in the past, and have witnessed first-hand his passion for education and commitment to building a better country. As a former Horatio Alger Award winner, Barry embodies the spirit of what Scholarship America is all about: helping students overcome barriers and to succeed in the pursuit of their academic and life goals. Barry's creativity and can-do, incredibly generous spirit will be an asset to our organization as we shape Scholarship America's future," said Lauren A. Segal, President & CEO of Scholarship America.

About Scholarship America®

Scholarship America® is a national education service organization that mobilizes support for students getting into and graduating from college. We have three core programs that help us achieve our mission: Dollars for Scholars®, Scholarship Management Services®, and Dreamkeepers(SM). Scholarship America has distributed more than $2.5 billion in scholarship assistance to more than 1.7 million students since 1958. More information is available at www.scholarshipamerica.org.

SOURCE Scholarship America