Two Connecticut Students Awarded Verizon Foundation Scholarships

NEW YORK, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Paying for college just got easier for two Connecticut students. They are among 530 students nationwide who each will receive scholarships of $5,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year through Verizon's scholarship program for the children and dependents of company employees.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

The scholarship program selects recipients based on financial need, academic achievement and extracurricular activities. Each scholarship is renewable for three years and has a total value of $20,000.   For the 2011-2012 academic year, the Verizon Foundation will provide a total of more than $2.64 million for the scholarships.

This year's Connecticut recipients are:

• Josef Danczuk from Coginchaug Regional High School, who plans to attend The University of Maryland and pursue a degree in civil engineering.
• Kristen Sullivan from North Branford High School, who plans to attend Quinnipiac University and pursue a degree in nursing.

Since 2001, the scholarship program has invested more than $42.3 million toward the college education of children and dependents of Verizon employees, benefitting 2,353 students. For the 2011-2012 school year, 100 scholarships are for incoming freshman, and 430 are for continuing support for previous winners.

"Education is a key issue for Verizon and for our communities," said Jim Gerace, president of Verizon's New York and Connecticut region. "As a technology company, we know the value of education and are proud to support our future leaders through this scholarship program."  

The Verizon Foundation awards the scholarships in partnership with Scholarship America, the nation's largest nonprofit, private sector scholarship and educational support organization, which was founded in 1958.

A list of the Verizon scholars for 2011 is available on the Verizon Foundation website at:

http://www.verizonfoundation.org/about/press/scholstudents11.shtml

The Verizon Foundation uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention. In 2010, the foundation awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 104 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon