FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2018

CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
[email protected]

25 Dedicated Students Awarded 2018 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarships Worth $10,000

Through the generosity of Horatio Alger Member Dennis R. Washington and his wife, Phyllis, the Association awards college scholarships to young men and women from Montana

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2018) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that 25 students from Montana will receive the prestigious 2018 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarship in the amount of $10,000. Generously funded by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, the philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies, these scholarships recognize young men and women for their admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities, despite facing adversity.

Since the scholarship program started in 2004, 800 Montana Scholars have been awarded more than $4 million. Now in its 15th year, the scholarship program is open to high school seniors in Montana who maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, exhibit financial need and demonstrate perseverance in overcoming personal challenges. Applicants must be planning to attend the University of Montana or Montana State University, or one of their affiliates. In addition to the $10,000 scholarship, the University of Montana and Montana State University system schools provide an additional $5,000 award to each recipient, bringing the total scholarship amount to $15,000 to be disbursed over the course of the student’s college career. As part of Horatio Alger Association’s Collegiate Partners program, the University of Montana and Montana State University, along with their affiliates, share the Association’s mission to provide support and campus resources to Scholars who show incredible promise and have overcome difficult circumstances.

“It is an honor for us to be able to support these deserving students with the necessary funds to further their education and achieve their goals,” said Mr. and Mrs. Washington in a joint statement. “Horatio Alger Scholars are some of the most dedicated and compassionate young people we’ve ever had the privilege of meeting – and the students from Montana are no different. Despite the adversities they have faced, they are committed to obtaining a college degree and bettering their communities, and we look forward to witnessing all that they will accomplish.”

The 2018 Horatio Alger Montana Scholarship recipients have maintained an average GPA of 3.63 and an average ACT score of 22, while coming from households with an average annual income of $19,818.          

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Washington and for their continued support of our scholarship programs,” said Matthew Rose, president, Horatio Alger Association. “We are honored to have such a treasured partnership with their Foundation which, like the Association, emphasizes bettering the lives of admirable young people, giving them hope for a brighter future.”

Horatio Alger Association was founded in 1947, and since 1984, it has administered one of the nation’s largest privately-funded, need-based scholarship programs. The Association has awarded more than $143 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships to students from across the United States, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members began funding scholarships on a state level to further the Association’s mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.

For a complete list of the 2018 Horatio Alger Montana State Scholars, please click here.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association, please visit www.horatioalger.org or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 ###

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, the Association awards more than $12 million annually in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provides college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $143 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

About Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation:

Founded in 1988, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is the major philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies and the Washington family. Funding for the Foundation comes primarily from personal contributions from the Washington Family and profits of The Washington Companies. The Foundation focuses in the areas of education, arts and culture, health and human services, and community service. Since its inception, Foundation giving and the Washington family’s personal contributions and pledges to charitable causes total over a quarter of a billion dollars. The Foundation website is located at http://www.dpwfoundation.org.