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Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading PA

The Sallie Mae Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Launch National Education Tour Aimed at Increasing the Number of Hispanics Accessing College

FREE Workshops to be Held in Nine States and Puerto Rico in Eight Weeks

RESTON, Va., September 23, 2002 —Today The Sallie Mae Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund announced the launch of the First in My Family: Paying for College tour, a 15-workshop tour visiting high schools in 9 states (and Puerto Rico) with large Latino populations. The 8-week tour, taking place from September 23 to November 10, is designed to increase the number of Hispanics going to college by raising awareness among the Hispanic community that a college education is valuable, attainable and affordable. While 26 percent of the general American population receive college degrees, only 12 percent of Hispanics receive college degrees. Studies show that many Hispanic parents lack basic information about attending college, the college admissions process, and the types of financial aid available in their own language. The Sallie Mae Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund have partnered to conduct the First in My Family: Paying for College tour to bridge this information gap and provide Hispanic parents and students with the information for FREE and in Spanish. Additionally, one attendee at each workshop will win a $500 scholarship toward the cost of higher education. "Lack of awareness or how to prepare, apply and pay for college is one of the greatest barriers facing Hispanic students wishing to pursue a postsecondary education," said Susan Porter, Managing Director, Community Outreach, Sallie Mae. "Through the First in My Family: Paying for College tour The Sallie Mae Fund hopes to increase awareness and provide Hispanic students and families with hands-on information for free and in Spanish." "Together with The Sallie Mae Fund, we are providing tools to both parents and students in navigating the college application and financial aid process," said Sara Martinez Tucker, president and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. "By educating and empowering the Hispanic community with the knowledge that college is an attainable goal, we are fulfilling our mission of doubling the rate of Hispanics earning a college degree by 2010.

The American Dream:Paying for College tour workshops, being held on Following is a schedule of workshop cities and dates.

Location	Date
Los Angeles, CA	September 23
San Diego, CA	September 28
Denver, CO	September 30
Phoenix, AZ	October 2
Albuquerque, NM	October 5
Las Cruces, NM	October 7
Chicago, IL	October 10
McAllen, TX	October 15
El Paso, TX	October 16
Brooklyn, NY	October 21
Jersey City, NJ	October 24
New York, NY	October 26
Miami, FL	October 28
Florida Location TBD	October 29
Puerto Rico Location TBD	November 9

Additional tour details are available at www.thesalliemaefund.org.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post–secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit www.salliemaefund.org.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. HSF was founded in 1975 with a vision to strengthen the country by advancing college education among Hispanic Americans, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. In support of its mission to double the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees, HSF provides the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During its 27-year history, HSF has awarded more than 54,000 scholarships in excess of $89 million to Latinos from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who have attended more than 1,300 colleges and universities.

The First in My Family: Paying for College Tour is part of The Sallie Mae Fund’s First in My Family initiative that was launched in October 2001. In addition to the tour, the initiative includes: a scholarship program that makes funds available to students who are the first in their family to go to college; the first Spanish-language book about paying for college, titled “Ayuda Financiera para su Educación Superior: Aproveche Todas las Opciones que están a su Alcance” (Financial Aid For College: Take Advantage of All Your Options) available, at no cost, to the general public through a toll-free number, 866/858-7166; and a public service radio campaign.