Cingles Info

Roche Foundation Funds Scholarship Program to Support African-American and
Hispanic Students Challenged by Hepatitis C
The Roche Foundation has announced the establishment of the New Horizons
Scholars Program, a first of its kind scholarship program designed to help
African-American and Hispanic families impacted by hepatitis C realize their
dreams for higher education. The headline of this scholarship program "Helping
to change lives" is really accurate as this opportunity may be just the
financial boost a deserving student needs to begin undergraduate studies.
The New Horizons Scholars Program is a partnership of the Thurgood Marshall
Scholarship Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund with support from The
Roche Foundation. This program is designed to address the disproportionate
impact hepatitis C has on African-Americans and Hispanics and the financial
challenges that families impacted by the disease can face. Unfortunately,
African Americans and Hispanics as a group often have inadequate access to
Hepatitis C prevention, screening and treatment services.
The New Horizons Scholars Program will provide 50 scholarships per year to
students planning to enroll for the first time in a four-year college during the
2003-2004 or 2004-2005 academic years. Scholarships will be awarded to students
of Hispanic or African-American heritage who are infected or are dependents of
someone infected with Hepatitis C. For two classes (2003,
2004), 50 students will be eligible for $2,500 per year for four years.
Applications are available through HSF's web site www.hsf.net or by calling
1-866-3HORIZON and through hepatitis-C treating physicians' offices.
Applications are due no later than February 15th, 2003 and notifications will be
mailed to scholarship winners in late spring 2003.
The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme
Court Associate Justice, is the only national organization of its type that
provides merit-based scholarships and programmatic support to students attending
the nation's 45 historically Black public colleges and universities. During the
2000 school year, more than $1.7 million in scholarships were awarded
representing a 400% increase from 1999.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the largest Hispanic scholarship-granting
organization in the nation with a goal of doubling the rate of Hispanics earning
college degrees to 18% by 2010. HSF was founded in
1975, based on the vision to strengthen the country by advancing college
education among Hispanic Americans, the fastest growing segment of the U.S.
population. HSF recognizes and rewards outstanding Hispanic students in
higher education throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
The Roche Foundation (formerly known as the Hoffmann-La Roche Foundation) was
created in 1947 as an independent charitable entity, solely funded by
the company. Today, it continues to complement the corporate contributions
program and helps support selected community organizations and initiatives. The
Roche Foundation focuses its support on health promotion and education,
especially science and math education.
Who is eligible?
High school graduates of African American heritage or Hispanic heritage (one
parent fully Hispanic or both parents half-Hispanic) who plan to enroll full
time in a degree-seeking program at a four year college or university for the
fall of 2003 Applicants must either have hepatitis C or be dependents of someone
with hepatitis C Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) Â
All decisions will be made by the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
For more information on the New Horizons Scholars Fund as well as evaluation
criteria, go to:
www.hsf.net
www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org