Horatio Alger Association Awards 2013 Dennis R. Washington Achievement Graduate Scholarship to Nine Graduate Students

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced it has awarded the 2013 Dennis R. Washington Achievement Graduate Scholarship to nine Horatio Alger Scholars across the United States.  This scholarship was established in 2008 by Dennis R. Washington, founder of the Washington Companies and chairman emeritus of the Horatio Alger Association, and his wife Phyllis Washington through the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation. This organization has since funded more than $2 million in graduate grants.

The Dennis R. Washington Achievement Graduate Scholarship Program is a distinguished academic endowment established to provide financial assistance exclusively to exceptional Horatio Alger Scholars who are committed to pursuing graduate, medical or law degrees. The program is designed for undergraduate recipients of Horatio Alger Association scholarships who have completed a bachelor's degree with a minimum grade point average of 3.0, demonstrated leadership, entrepreneurial qualities and a passion for service to their community.  Additionally, candidates must be accepted into a master's, professional, or doctoral program at an accredited institution in the United States and must be a United States citizen.

"Together with Horatio Alger Association, the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that exceptional undergraduates who wish to continue their academic careers are able to do so, in spite of any and all financial limitations," said Dennis Washington. "The nine 2013 Dennis R. Washington Achievement Graduate Scholarship recipients are a wonderful reflection of Horatio Alger Association and its mission of inspiring youth to pursue the American dream."

Awarding nearly $500,000 in graduate grants in 2013, the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation scholarship recipients will receive up to $90,000 for a master's, doctoral or professional degree.  The 2013 Dennis R. Washington Achievement Graduate Scholarship recipients are:

• Bethel Deresu, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, 2004 Minnesota State Scholar
• Lisa Fong, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2007 California Scholar
• Jordan L. Harms, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, 2008 National Scholar
• John T. Hermiz, University of California, San Diego, 2008 National Scholar
• Adam K. Mitchell, Harvard University, 2008 National Scholar
• Mathew Thomas, Duke University School of Medicine, 2006 Minnesota Scholar
• Mason D. Weber, Georgetown University School of Medicine, 2009 Missouri Scholar
• Allison K. Truong, Stanford University School of Medicine, 2007 California Scholar-Orange County Scholar 
• Jacob G. Zitterkopf, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2007 Ak-Sar-Ben Scholar

For more information about Horatio Alger Association or to apply to one of its scholarship programs, please visit https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships.

About Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation:   
Founded in 1988, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is the major philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies and the Washington family. Funding for the Foundation comes from the profits of The Washington Companies and personal contributions from the Washington Family. The Foundation focuses in the areas of education, arts and culture, health and human services, and community services. Since its inception, Foundation giving and the Washington family's personal contributions and pledges to charitable causes total more than $130 million. The Foundation website is located at http://www.dpwfoundation.org.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:  
Founded in 1947, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports various undergraduate and graduate scholarship programs and, since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people.  For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

CONTACT: 
Nikki Elkins 
484-385-2958 (office) 
[email protected]  

SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.