Verizon Wireless And UNCF Announce Black History Month Essay Contest For College Scholarships In Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Region

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PITTSBURGH, PA — In honor of Black History Month, Verizon Wireless and UNCF—the United Negro College Fund—are offering high school seniors the chance to win one of 12 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. To qualify for the contest, students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0, plan to attend a two-year or four-year college or university in the Fall of 2010, and currently reside in one of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia or Wisconsin.

“With the economic challenges so many families are facing, it is more important than ever to support students looking to gain a college education,” said Roger Tang, president – Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia region, Verizon Wireless. “As a company, we embrace diversity because we believe it’s smart business and because it’s the right thing to do. We are excited to be able to help deserving students better prepare for the cost of their college education.”

The Verizon Wireless/UNCF Black History Month Essay Contest asks high school seniors to write an essay of no more than 500 words that addresses how the evolution of wireless technology has changed the world we live in. UNCF will review all the applications and score the essays, and the top 12 applicants will be awarded scholarships.

The awards are the following:

  • First Place: $5,000 scholarship, netbook and $100 Verizon Wireless gift card;
  • Second Place: $4,000 scholarship, netbook and $100 Verizon Wireless gift card;
  • Third Place: $3,000 scholarship, netbook and $100 Verizon Wireless gift card; and
  • Fourth through 12th Place: $1,000 scholarships.

“The 21st century economy runs on technology,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF President and CEO. “This contest is a great incentive for students to think about how that affects all our lives and to compete for help in paying for their college education. We thank Verizon Wireless for their ongoing support of UNCF and the aspiring young leaders who depend on UNCF for help in getting the education they need and our nation needs them to have.”

This Black History Month Essay Contest is one of a variety of educational and diversity programs supported by Verizon Wireless. With a diverse workforce of 83,000, Verizon Wireless drives workplace diversity by establishing programs to encourage the hiring and advancement of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds.

Students are encouraged to visit http://www.UNCF.org for complete details of the essay contest and to apply online. The application deadline is April 15, 2010. For more information, contact UNCF Program Services at (703) 205-3400 or scholarships@uncf.org.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About UNCF
UNCF—the United Negro College Fund—is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at www.UNCF.org.

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