For Immediate Release
Contact: Ashley Spinks, [email protected], (703) 351-2098
Arlington, Va., (May 1, 2019)—Today, the Foundation for Rural Service announced that it has awarded $125,000 in scholarships to 54 students from rural communities served by members of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. The FRS Scholarship Program awards one-time scholarships to students from across rural America for their first year of college, university or vocational-technical school. Each student is sponsored by an NTCA member company.
In celebration of the foundation’s 25th anniversary this year, three new scholarships were funded and subsequently awarded. NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield and her husband, Don Patterson, endowed the Good Neighbor Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate what it means to be a “good neighbor” through humanitarianism, inclusion and kindness to others. NTCA Northwest Region Director Don Bitz sponsored The Herbert and Isabel Bitz Memorial Scholarship in honor of his parents. Lastly, FRS created one-time FRS Anniversary Scholarships, awarded to students interested in industries important to rural communities. Other awards included:
- One $7,000 Everett Kneece Scholarship
- Four $5,000 JSI Staurulakis Family Scholarships to students with an interest in science, math or engineering (STEM)
- Two $1,500 TMS Scholarships
- Three $500 Roger Alan Cox Scholarships (sponsored by Herman & Whiteaker, LLC)
- Thirty-three $2,500 FRS Scholarships
“It is a privilege for FRS to have a small role in supporting the continued education of these students through our scholarship program,” said FRS Executive Director Jessica Golden. “Each and every applicant was thoroughly impressive and demonstrated a deep knowledge of and dedication to their rural communities. We thank all our donors for making this scholarship program possible year after year.”
A full list of scholarship awardees is available online.
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The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), in cooperation with NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. FRS is committed to educational achievement in rural communities, recognizing that tomorrow’s economic and civic development depends on the involvement and commitment of today’s youth. Visit us at www.frs.org.
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.