ECMC Foundation Increases Pledge to $5.4 Million in Higher Education Scholarships for Virginia Students

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ECMC Foundation announced today that it will increase funding to continue the ECMC Scholars Program in Virginia for the ninth year. The funding increase means scholarships will be available to eligible ECMC Scholars through the graduating class of 2013.

The ECMC Scholars Program gives students with potential the support they may need to become successful in high school and go on to higher education. Ten public high schools in Virginia were chosen to participate according to need-based criteria.

Candidates are selected in their sophomore year by a committee of their teachers, guidance counselors and other educators to participate in the program during their junior and senior years. Students who successfully complete the program's requirements at their schools are eligible for up to $6,000 in scholarships for their first two years of college.

ECMC Foundation partnered with the Virginia Department of Education in 2003 to create the Virginia ECMC Scholars Program.

"ECMC Foundation's nearly decade-long commitment—uninterrupted by deep recession and slow recovery—to supporting the college dreams of hundreds of Virginia students is extraordinary," said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright. "The ECMC Scholars Program has helped unlock the potential of hundreds of young men and women who have gone on to achieve their goals and give back to their communities."

For more information about the ECMC Scholars Program, visit www.ecmcfoundation.org.

About ECMC Foundation

ECMC Foundation helps people of all ages further their education goals, particularly low-income individuals, as well as those who may be the first member of their family to have an opportunity to attend college. Our innovative outreach programs focus on college access, retention and success. Through partnerships with government agencies, educational institutions and community organizations, ECMC Foundation is able to make the dream of college a reality for those individuals who may not otherwise have an opportunity to pursue higher education. For more information, visit www.ecmcfoundation.org. ECMC Foundation is funded by ECMC Group.

SOURCE ECMC Foundation