FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2018

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

Horatio Alger Association and Gibson Dunn Announce Establishment of the Gibson Dunn New York State Scholarship Program  
International law firm Gibson Dunn has gifted $320,000 to the Association to fund scholarships in the State of New York beginning in 2019 in honor of 2018 Horatio Alger Award recipient, Gregory E. Abel

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 17, 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 receipt of a $320,000 commitment from international law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP and its partners to fund scholarships for students attending universities in New York State who have overcome adversity in pursuit of higher education. This generous gift is given in honor of newly inducted 2018 Horatio Alger Member, Gregory E. Abel, chairman Berkshire Hathaway Energy and vice chairman of non-insurance businesses, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

“This is a special moment for the Horatio Alger Association,” said Matthew Rose, president, Horatio Alger Association and 2013 Horatio Alger Award recipient. “We are humbled by the generosity of Gibson Dunn, which not only recognizes our mission, but furthers it by providing the financial means needed for scholars to pursue their educational aspirations. This gift would not have been possible without the advocacy of 2018 Award recipient, Greg Abel for our mission. We had every confidence that he would open doors for our Scholars, but we are in awe of how quickly he is making a real and profound impact.”

The newly established Gibson Dunn Scholarship Program is a four-year commitment by the law firm, which will begin supporting New York State Horatio Alger Scholars in the 2019-2020 academic year. These scholarship recipients will receive up to $10,000 to apply toward the tuition of the college or university of their choice in New York State. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must be high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Applicants must demonstrate critical financial need as well as community service involvement and integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.

“This is a well-deserved recognition of the accomplishments of our friend, Greg Abel, and we are pleased to donate to the Horatio Alger Association’s New York State Scholarship Program in his honor,” said Ken Doran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn.

“When I first learned that I would be receiving the Horatio Alger Award last fall, I was eager to learn more about the Association’s scholarship programs and find meaningful ways to support them,” said Mr. Abel. “Meeting so many outstanding Scholars has only strengthened my desire to help – and Gibson Dunn shared that passion. I am immensely grateful for Gibson Dunn’s partnership, generosity and commitment to give back to deserving students in need.”

Since the establishment of its scholarship programs in 1984, more than 25,000 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada have received more than $143 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members began funding scholarships concentrated in each state to further the Association’s mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and the Gibson Dunn New York State Scholarship Program, please visit www.horatioalger.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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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, in 2017, the Association awarded more than $18 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada, and also provided college support 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 Gibson Dunn:
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a leading international law firm.  Consistently ranking among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today’s global marketplace with more than 1,200 lawyers and 20 offices, including Beijing, Brussels, Century City, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, San Francisco, São Paulo, Singapore, and Washington, D.C.  For more information on Gibson Dunn, please visit our website.