Golden LEAF Scholarship Applications Due March 1

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Golden LEAF Scholarship information and applications for 2011-12 are now available at CFNC.org/goldenleaf.  A total of 215 awards will be offered to first-time recipients for the 2011-12 academic year.  The awards are valued at $12,000 ($3,000 per year for up to four years) for students attending a qualifying North Carolina campus and are funded by a grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.  The Golden LEAF Scholarship Program is administered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA).

To be considered, an applicant must be enrolled during the 2010-11 academic year at a North Carolina public or private high school or a North Carolina community college, enroll for fall 2011 as a full-time, degree-seeking freshman or transfer from a North Carolina community college at one of the 53 qualifying public universities or private colleges and universities in North Carolina,  be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes with a permanent residence in one of 78 qualifying rural counties and demonstrate financial need. Candidates must submit a Golden LEAF Scholarship application, available at CFNC.org/goldenleaf, a FAFSA  (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), available at www.fafsa.gov and a current high school or community college transcript no later than March 1.  A complete list of program requirements, participating campuses and qualifying counties can be viewed at CFNC.org/goldenleaf.

Golden LEAF Scholarship opportunities may also be available for community college students.  Details will be posted under the community college link at CFNC.org/goldenleaf.

The application deadline is March 1, 2011.

For more information, contact College Foundation of North Carolina toll-free at 866-866-CFNC.  

About CFNC

College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a free service of the State of North Carolina that helps students plan, apply, and pay for college. CFNC is a partnership of Pathways, the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, and College Foundation, Inc.  

• Pathways, created by the N.C. General Assembly in 1999, is a state-wide initiative to increase the college-going rate of North Carolinians by providing: comprehensive college and career planning resources; electronic applications and transcripts accepted by all 110 North Carolina colleges and universities; and, information on student financial aid and college affordability. Pathways is administered by The University of North Carolina General Administration in collaboration with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the N.C. Community College System, and the N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities.
• The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), established in 1965, is the State agency that promotes access to higher education by administering financial aid and savings programs, informing students and families about paying for college, teaching educators about financial aid administration, and advocating for resources to support students.
• College Foundation, Inc. (CFI), a nonprofit corporation serving North Carolina students and families since 1955, administers a portfolio of more than $3.6 billion, including education loans, the State's college grant programs, and the tax-free "529" college savings program on behalf of the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority. CFI also delivers information to North Carolina students and families about paying for college and provides technology services for CFNC.org.

CFNC offers resources toll-free at 1-866-866-CFNC and at CFNC.org.

About Golden LEAF

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina's economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina's funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 1,017 grants worth over $477 million since its inception. To learn more about applying for a grant, visit www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684-8404.

Golden LEAF Scholarship

Participating Campuses:

Appalachian State University

Barton College

Belmont Abbey College

Bennett College for Women

Brevard College

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Campbell University

Catawba College

Chowan University

Davidson College

Duke University

East Carolina University

Elizabeth City State University

Elon University

Fayetteville State University

Gardner-Webb University

Greensboro College

Guilford College

High Point University

Johnson & Wales University

Johnson C. Smith University

Lees-McRae College

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Livingstone College

Louisburg College

Mars Hill College

Meredith College

Methodist University

Montreat College

Mount Olive College

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Central University

North Carolina State University

North Carolina Wesleyan College

Peace College

Pfeiffer University

Queens University of Charlotte

St. Andrews Presbyterian College

St. Augustine's College

Salem College

Shaw University

University of North Carolina at Asheville

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Wake Forest University

Warren Wilson College

Western Carolina University

Wingate University
Winston-Salem State University

Applicants must reside in one of the following counties to be eligible:

Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Burke, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Davie, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mitchell, Montgomery, Nash, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin or Yancey.

SOURCE College Foundation, Inc.