ThanksUSA Partners with the Financial Services Roundtable to Promote Scholarships for Military Families

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ThanksUSA, a charitable effort to mobilize Americans to "thank" our active-duty troops by providing need-based scholarships to their children and spouses, is partnering with the Financial Services Roundtable to raise awareness of the need for academic support for military families.

Since its inception in 2006, ThanksUSA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has provided more than $6 million in academic scholarship assistance to our nation's military families throughout all 50 states, with particular attention given to those whose loved one was killed or wounded in action.  ThanksUSA's scholarship program is unique in that both spouses and children of active-duty men and women can apply to the same organization for support.  Scholarships are awarded based on need – directly benefiting those who most need and deserve the opportunity to transform their lives, but lack the resources to do so.

"We can never forget the sacrifices our military families make every day to protect our country," said Steve Bartlett, president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable.  "It is important to ensure these families have the opportunity for higher education regardless of financial limitations."

"ThanksUSA is honored to have been chosen as a Non-Profit Partner by the Financial Services Roundtable," said Michele Stork, executive director of ThanksUSA. "Since 2006, ThanksUSA has awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in business and finance.  We are proud that this financial support has made a difference in their ability to achieve long term success in the workplace."

"The scholarship assistance I received from ThanksUSA gave me the flexibility to pursue internships and extracurricular activities during college, which ultimately lead to my full-time offer," said Shadie Andraos, a ThanksUSA scholarship recipient who graduated summa cum laude from Cleveland State University with a BBA in Finance. "I am now an analyst at Barclays Capital, working on a team that produces our global indices and supports portfolio managers in deterring risk and performance attribution through our proprietary models. The support I received from ThanksUSA came at a critical time in my education, and helped me in making the most of my college experience."

For more information on ThanksUSA, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.  For more information on the Financial Services Roundtable Community Service Partners, visit www.financialcommunityservice.org.

About Financial Services Roundtable

The Financial Services Roundtable represents 100 of the largest integrated financial services companies providing banking, insurance, and investment products and services to the American consumer. Member companies participate through the Chief Executive Officer and other senior executives nominated by the CEO.

Roundtable member companies provide fuel for America's economic engine, accounting directly for $74.6 trillion in managed assets, $1.1 trillion in revenue, and 2.4 million jobs.

About ThanksUSA

ThanksUSA began in 2005 when two Virginia schoolgirls set out to mobilize Americans to thank active-duty troops for defending our freedoms. The organization provides need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty status military. Scholarships have been awarded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to families representing all branches of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and the families of the wounded and fallen. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

SOURCE ThanksUSA