Mercedes-Benz Puts DRIVE YOUR FUTURE Scholarships Behind Students Who Are the First in Their Families to Go to College
MONTVALE, N.J., May 31 /PRNewswire/ — Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today announced the names of 62 college-bound teenagers who will join the ranks of nearly 1,000 other students nationwide as recipients of Mercedes-Benz ‘s DRIVE YOUR FUTURE scholarships. The scholarships are awarded to students who are the first in their families to attend college and who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and a commitment to helping others. The DRIVE YOUR FUTURE Scholarship Program was developed by Mercedes-Benz USA in 2004 to help alleviate some of the financial pressures of first-generation college-bound students — many of whom would be unable to pursue a post-secondary education due to the enormous financial burden.
In the competitive application process, nearly 5,000 students nationwide applied for scholarships, 62 of whom were selected based on academic performance, leadership, involvement in school and community activities and financial need. Each of the college-bound graduating high school seniors will receive a $10,000 scholarship ($2,500 per year over 4 years) to help offset rising college tuition costs.
This year Mercedes-Benz USA, with support from its dealers nationwide, will provide $620,000 in scholarship funding, raising the total amount granted since the program’s launch in 2004 to $3.5 million to nearly 1,000 ambitious college-bound students. All of the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE award recipients are the first generation in their families to pursue a college education and many have overcome personal hardships due to underprivileged backgrounds.
“Ours is a brand that is founded on a commitment to nothing less than excellence and it has come to represent a dream fulfilled,” said Ernst Lieb, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. “We want to encourage these students — who are certainly among the best and the brightest of their generation — to accept nothing less than the best, however they define that. We hope these scholarships can help remove some of the impediments so these young men and women can focus on accomplishing their dreams.”
“According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average student loan debt for a bachelor’s degree student is $19,300,” said Barb Weber, assistant vice president of Scholarship America, the non-profit organization that administers the Mercedes-Benz DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program. “The importance of scholarship programs, such as the Mercedes-Benz DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program, is imperative in helping all students move forward with college enrollment and the completion of a college degree.”
One of important components of the program is based on the principle of “paying it forward,” or helping someone else in need. Each year, DRIVE YOUR FUTURE scholarship recipients are asked to serve as ambassadors of Mercedes- Benz USA philanthropy by giving back to their communities through activities such as mentoring/tutoring younger students, working with Boys and Girls Clubs or Big Brothers Big Sisters, among other activities. Nearly 1,000 students have benefited, or will benefit, from DRIVE YOUR FUTURE and will, in turn, give back in some way to help someone else achieve his/her dreams, reaching countless people in need.
The DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program was developed by Mercedes-Benz USA in collaboration with Scholarship America to respond to a critical need in the United States for scholarships to help students offset the costs of postsecondary education. DRIVE YOUR FUTURE is part of MBUSA’s broader philanthropic initiative aimed at educating and empowering future generations by helping young people reach their full potential and become the leaders of their generation.
Committed to the communities in which employees live and work, MBUSA has also built alliances with a number of youth organizations across the country. The company supports many of these efforts through employee volunteer activities, mentoring and community outreach efforts. Philanthropic initiatives are reviewed and implemented through MBUSA corporate headquarters in Montvale, N.J., and through its regional offices around the country. For more information, interested students may visit http://www.mbusa.com/drivefuture.
Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2006, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 248,080 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 13 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/.
Scholarship America
Scholarship America is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to mobilize America, through scholarships and educational support, to make postsecondary education possible for all students. More information is available at http://www.scholarshipamerica.org/.
2007 DRIVE YOUR FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS State First Name Last Name Home Town High School College AK Jennifer Henry Anchorage A.J. Dimond University of High School Findlay AL Paige Perry Adamsville Jefferson University of Cnty Intl South Alabama Baccalaureate AR Jewell Via Ozark Ozark High University of School Arkansas at Fort Smith AZ Martha Mosqueda San Luis San Luis High University of School Arizona CA Steven Chua Winnetka Chatsworth University of High School California: Berkeley CA Chrissie Ng San Leandro San Leandro University of High School California: San Diego CO Katherine Millican Cortez Montezuma- Colorado State Cortez High University School CT Neena Kamath Norwalk Brien McMahan Harvard College High School DC Gilbert Castillo Washington Benjamin Florida Banneker AHS Institute of Technology DE Justin Robles Dover Saint Thomas St. John’s More Academy University FL Joanna Rodriguez Pembroke McArthur High University of Pines School Florida FL Markevius Collier Jacksonville Samuel W. University of Wolfson High North Florida School FL Marc Atkinson Jacksonville Robert E. Lee Florida High School Agricultural and Mechanical University GA Wilbert Powell Mount Vernon Montgomery Georgia County High Southern School University HI Jester Galiza Ewa Beach James Campbell Dartmouth High School College IA Belinda Wagy Cedar Rapids Thomas Iowa Wesleyan Jefferson High College ID Tierney Busse McCall Meadows Valley Northwest High School Nazarene University IL Yu Chen Moline Moline Senior University of High School Illinois at Urbana- Champaign IN Jourdan Day Evansville F.J. Reitz Ohio State High School University: Columbus Campus KS Chelsie Gaskell Horton Horton High American School Academy of Hair Design and Day Spa KY Michelle Glass Covington Holmes High Eastern School Kentucky University LA Sarah Vining Berwick Berwick High University of School Louisiana at Lafayette MA Meekerley Sanon Lawrence Lawrence High Massachusetts School College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences MD Karmena Diggs Glenarden Charles Herbert Spelman College Flowers High School ME Kassie Lovely Easton Easton Jr/Sr Husson College High School MI Thao Dinh Holland Holland High Michigan State School University MN Denise Tietz Walnut Grove Westbrook Minnesota State Walnut Grove University: High School Mankato MO Jordan Taillon Lampe Blue Eye High University of School Missouri: Rolla MS Anastasia Allmon Hattiesburg MS School for Millsaps Mathematics & College Science MT Danni Thom Stanford Stanford High University of School Montana: Missoula NC Saul Flores Charlotte Harding North Carolina University State High School University ND Stephanie Gramlow Fullerton Oakes High University of School North Dakota NE Colby McMann Shubert Southeast Wayne State Nebraska College Consolidated HS NH Shannon Tsaltas Seabrook Winnacunnet Harvard College High School NJ Anni Wong Morganville Marlboro High Cornell School NJ Pebbles Kelly Newark Academy of Essex County Vocational College Careers NM Anna Garliss Santa Rosa Santa Rosa New Mexico High School State University NV Joanna Kang Las Vegas Durango High University of School California: Irvine NY Felicia Baldwin Parish Mexico Academy University of and Central San Diego Schools NY Katrina Green Brooklyn Automotive University of High School New York State College of Technology at Delhi NY May Wong New York NYC Lab School University: Columbia Columbia College NY Susheian Brown Bronx Bronx Academy City University of Health of New York Careers NY Ilana Vakhovskaya Brooklyn Edward R. Syracuse Murrow High University School NY Lauren Peart Bronx The Young Spelman College Women’s Leadership School OH Lauren Brown Barberton Barberton High State School Ohio University: Columbus Campus OH Ai Binh Ho Columbus Columbus School Kenyon College for Girls OK Tram Phan Oklahoma Westmoore High University of City School Oklahoma OR Joshua Savey Reedsport Reedsport High University of School Oregon PA William Rech Horsham Hatboro-Horsham Penn State High School University Park PR Johary Rivera Orocovis Jose Rojas Recinto Cortes HS Universitano de Rio Piedras RI Caitlin Gillooly Johnston St. Mary Northeastern Academy Bay University View SC Hieu Tran Greenville Southside High Massachusetts School Institute of Technology SD Carmen Hirsch Highmore Highmore High Hope College School TN Yoseph Beki Antioch Brentwood Vanderbilt Academy University TX Jose Pesina Brownsville Gladys Porter Harvard College High School UT Holly Damron Clawson Christian Westmont Liberty Home College School/EHS VA Wayne Ngai Chester Maggie L. University of Walker Pennsylvania Governor’s School VT Tyler Gillingham North Woodstock Union St. Michael’s Pomfret High School College WA Jessica Baskaran Sequim Sequim High University of School Washington WI Jacob Kapellen Sheboygan Sheboygan University of North High Wisconsin- Madison WV Danielle Fink Keyser Keyser High West Virginia School University WY Ashley Carter Upton Upton High Northwest School College
Mercedes-Benz USA
CONTACT: Tracy Darchini, +1-201-573-4734; or Lesia Koropey James,+1-201-417-8634
Web site: http://www.mbusa.com/drivefuturehttp://www.mbusa.com/http://www.maybachusa.com/http://www.scholarshipamerica.org/