College Foundation, Inc. announces 2012 winners of Victor E. Bell, Jr. Scholarship

-- Bell Scholarship will give N.C. 7^th graders up to $20,000 for college --

RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- College Foundation, Inc. (CFI) has announced 10 winners of the 2012 Victor E. Bell, Jr. Scholarship.  This is the sixth year the Foundation has awarded scholarships to encourage North Carolina seventh grade students with high potential to aspire to a college education.

The scholarship is named in honor of the visionary former chairman of the CFI Board of Trustees who served for 30 years and left a strong legacy of service to North Carolina.

Winners receive $2,000 per year, from middle school through the fourth year of college, up to a maximum total of $20,000 per recipient, as long as they continue to meet annual renewal criteria.  Awards are contributed to an account in the North Carolina 529 plan with the individual recipient named as the beneficiary of the account.

This year's Victor E. Bell, Jr. Scholarship winners are:

Rosalba Barojas
Monroe Middle School, Monroe, N.C.

Tiffany Estrada
Mineral Springs Middle School, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Harold Faison, Jr.
Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School, Salemburg, N.C.

Jamia Humphrey
E.E. Smith Middle School, Kenansville, N.C.

Hanna Jones
Randleman Middle School, Randleman, N.C.

Perla Lugo
Chocowinity Middle School, Chocowinity, N.C.

David Nagy
Archer Lodge Middle School, Wendell, N.C.

Julissa Perez
Bath Elementary School, Bath, N.C.

Victor Rangel-Ramos
Hardin Park School, Boone, N.C.

Blaine Wiltgen
Moyock Middle School, Moyock, N.C.

Scholarship recipients are selected by a random drawing from all nominations received from middle school counselors and principals, as well as selected college readiness/access groups across the state.  Schools or groups are invited to nominate one student each annually and, this year, 117 nominations were submitted.

CFI funds ten new Victor E. Bell, Jr. Scholarships annually and continues to fund scholarships for previous recipients who meet annual renewal criteria.   Other organizations or individuals are welcome to contribute to the Bell Scholarship Program or to fund and create a similar scholarship that can be administered by CFI.

College Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit corporation serving North Carolina students and families since 1955, administers a large portfolio of low-interest education loans, the state's college grant programs and the tax-free "529" college savings program on behalf of the State Education Assistance Authority.   Website: www.CFNC.org. Toll-free number: 1-866-866-CFNC.

SOURCE College Foundation, Inc.