News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 18, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Kris Betker, Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 360-753-7817; Sandra Greer, Washington Dollars for Scholars, 425-643-9913

Washington State Honored as Model for Scholarship Programs; Gov. Gary Locke Accepts National Award

Gov. Gary Locke today accepted a national award honoring the state’s groundbreaking work in developing community-based scholarship programs. Locke was presented with the National Trustees’ Award from Scholarship America during the National Governors Association annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind. It’s the first time a state government has been honored with this award.

Scholarship America is the parent organization of Washington Dollars for Scholars® and the nation’s largest private-sector scholarship and educational support organization.

Washington state won the award for groundbreaking legislation that has made the state a model in developing community-based scholarship programs. In 1989, the state Legislature established the Community Scholarship Matching Grant program, which now provides approximately $245,000 per year in $2,000 matching grants to eligible community scholarship foundations. The state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board administers the grant program.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to go to college,” Locke said. “These community-based scholarship programs help turn dreams into reality for so many of our students. I particularly want to commend Sen. Ken Jacobsen (D-Seattle) for his hard work in getting this legislation passed while in the state House of Representatives.”

Washington Dollars for Scholars is a network of community-based scholarship foundations that helps community volunteers establish and build scholarship programs. There are 112 Dollars for Scholars chapters in Washington. In 2002, those chapters raised $2.5 million and awarded 1,693 scholarships.

“Before the matching grant program there were only two Dollars for Scholars chapters in Washington state – now there are 112,” said Richard Millerick, executive director of Washington Dollars for Scholars. “The state provides a tremendous incentive to encourage communities to establish scholarship programs.”

Dr. William C. Nelsen, president of Scholarship America, presented the governor with the award. “Since the matching grant program began, the state of Washington has provided more than $1.2 million for scholarships,” Nelsen said. “This investment by the state has stimulated more than $16 million in private-sector, community-based Dollars for Scholars funding for students. It’s an honor to present the state of Washington with this award.”

The National Trustees’ Award is usually presented to corporations or organizations that provide outstanding support to education, primarily through programs designed to improve access to educational opportunities and encourage educational achievement. Previous winners include the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, Target Corporation, General Mills Foundation, and Best Buy Corporation.

For more information about the grant program, visit www.hecb.wa.gov/Grants/csmg. To learn more about Washington Dollars for Scholars, visit http://wa.dollarsforscholars.org.


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