FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 22, 2008

Volunteer fire companies and ambulance squads will be able to nominate new recruits for college scholarships offered by New York State earlier than ever before. The successful recruitment program awarded $1.7 million in tuition benefits to 571 students during the 2006-07 academic year.

The new deadline for nominations for the 2008 New York State Volunteer Service Scholarships will be May 1, the New York State Higher Education Services Corp. announced today. The deadline change will help colleges credit scholarship winners’ accounts in a timely manner, in accordance with the traditional academic year.

The New York State Volunteer Service Scholarships are used as a recruitment tool by company chiefs to boost membership in these vital service organizations. The scholarship is administered by HESC, the state agency that helps people pay for college.

Information and application packets are being sent to volunteer fire and ambulance companies on the HESC mailing list during January. Each volunteer fire or ambulance company in the state may make one new nomination for the 2008 scholarship. The nominee must be a New York State resident; a high school graduate or equivalent; enrolled in an accredited undergraduate degree program taking at least six credits a semester; and remain an active member of a volunteer organization while attending college.

Scholarship recipients may receive an award amount up to the average cost of tuition at the State University of New York. The award may be used for tuition at either a private or public college or university located in New York State.

If your volunteer fire or ambulance organization has not received an application by Feb. 15, call HESC’s scholarship unit at 1-888-697-4372 to be added to the mailing list. Students interested in applying for the scholarship should contact their company chief. Complete eligibility details can be found at the HESC Web site: www.hesc.com/content.nsf/SFC/2/NYS_Volunteer_Recruitment_Service_Scholarship

About HESC

The New York State Higher Education Services Corp., (HESC) is the largest in-state student loan guaranty agency providing more grant and scholarship money to college students than any other state in the nation.

The state agency provided $831 million through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to more than 381,000 students and guaranteed more than $4.5 million in federal loans in academic year 2006-07.

HESC administers New York’s 529 College Savings Program, a nationally-acclaimed program which boasts more than $7 billion in assets, and also handles more than 25 state and federal grants and scholarships.

EDITORS ONLY -- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Ronald Kermani, HESC’s senior vice president for communications, at (518) 473-1264. His home phone is (518) 465-5160 and beeper is (518) 422-3906. Kermani’s e-mail is rkermani@hesc.org.
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