Couric Helps Fund College Scholarships

MINNEAPOLIS, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scholarship America®, a Minnesota-based nonprofit that helps raise and distribute college scholarships for students, was chosen by CBS Evening News anchor, Katie Couric, as the beneficiary of a portion of  proceeds from her new book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives.

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The book, which was released on April 12 by Random House, is a collection of essays, poems and advice from A-listers in business, entertainment and politics geared toward encouraging college graduates to think about their futures. In addition, two of Scholarship America's New York-based scholarship recipients are featured in the book's introduction.    

Scholarship America, founded in 1961 by Dr. Irving Fradkin, has provided more than $2.5 billion in scholarships to 1.7 million students over the past 50 years. Scholarship America's volunteer-driven program, Dollars for Scholars®, helps students in 3,500 communities across the country receive assistance with college readiness and the financial aid process.  

"Scholarship America changes lives every day by helping students afford a college education," Couric said. "Because my book offers inspirational advice from some amazing people on how to succeed in life, Scholarship America is the perfect partner organization for this project."

With the cost of college tuition on the rise and the number of college graduates on the decline, private scholarships are essential in bridging the gap. Scholarship America's 4G philosophy – Get Ready, Get In, Get Through and Give Back – supports the continuum of student needs from college preparation and access through degree completion and opportunities to give back to the community.

"We are honored that Katie selected Scholarship America," said Lauren Segal, president and CEO of Scholarship America. "Her donation will support our National Scholarship Fund, which will help even more students across the country complete their college education, and the book itself will serve as a great inspiration for students as they plan their futures after graduation."

To learn more about Scholarship America, visit www.scholarshipamerica.org.

ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP AMERICA®

Scholarship America is a national education service organization that mobilizes support for students getting into and graduating from college. Scholarship America has distributed more than $2.5 billion in scholarship assistance to more than 1.7 million students over the last 50 years. Scholarship America's programs, which include Dollars for Scholars®, help fund both entry-level and multi-year scholarships, as well as emergency financial grants. More information is available at www.scholarshipamerica.org.

SOURCE Scholarship America