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

The Sallie Mae Fund presents MLK Historically Black College Fair; Provides free information to Chicago-area families on planning and preparing for college

RESTON, Va., Jan. 13, 2003—More than 8,000 students and their parents will meet representatives from more than 50 of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during the annual MLK Historically Black College Fair presented in Chicago, Ill., on Friday, Jan. 17 (9 a.m.–3 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 18 (10 a.m.–2 p.m.) by The Sallie Mae Fund. The Trinity Higher Education Corporation (THEC) in conjunction with the Chicago Public Schools Office of High School Development hosts the event. The fair, which began in 2000 as a one-day event held at Trinity United Church of Christ, is now the largest fair of its kind in the Midwest. The fair is free to the public and open to all high school students and their parents.

"The Sallie Mae Fund is glad to support the MLK Historically Black College Fair as it supports the Fund's mission of increasing access to higher education and brings critical information about planning and paying for college to families who need it," said Susan Porter, Board Chairman of The Sallie Mae Fund.

The Sallie Mae Fund will award $10,000 in college scholarships to future college students who participate in the MLK HBCU Fair. The Sallie Mae Fund will also host a series of its popular Paying for College seminars throughout the weekend. These seminars, held nationwide each year, focus on financial planning for college and address topics, including:

• The benefits of continuing an education beyond high school
• Determining financial aid eligibility
• Completing required forms
• Understanding the types of financial aid
• Locating free financial aid resources.

"By giving high school students the opportunity to meet with representatives of HBCUs from across the country, we hope to expand their horizons and bring vital information directly to students and their families," said Eric Williams, CEO of the Trinity Higher Education Corporation (THEC). "Through this initiative, we hope to encourage many more students to pursue a college education."

Additional contributing sponsors of the MLK Historically Black College Fair include Target, The United Negro College Fund, and American Family Insurance.

Individuals interested in attending the fair should contact The Trinity Higher Education Corporation at (773) 298-1590 for more information.

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 Trinity Higher Education Corporation is a non-profit organization which engages in charitable, educational and scientific activities that promote the public welfare and support the pursuit of higher education among under-served and under-represented communities within Metropolitan Chicago, the state of Illinois, and surrounding areas.