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The Sallie Mae Fund and NAFEO announce winners of second-annual "Writers of Passage" essay competition

The Sallie Mae Fund and NAFEO announce winners of second-annual "Writers of Passage" essay competition for students attending HBCUs or PBIs

Winning students each receive a $5,000 scholarship, $20,000 grant for their schools

WASHINGTON, DC, April 24, 2007—The National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) and The Sallie Mae Fund today announced the winners of its "Writers of Passage" scholarship program. This year's writing competition winners are Patience Ajoff (Knoxville College), Quiana Lewis (Fisk University), Nsikan Masani (Fort Valley State University), and Felix Nwokeabia, Jr. (Norfolk State University).

From nearly 100 applicants, 10 contestants were selected as finalists and presented their essays to a panel of judges at NAFEO's 32nd National Conference on Blacks in Higher Education, held recently in Washington, D.C. Four winning applicants each will receive a $5,000 scholarship, and their respective universities each will receive a $20,000 grant to help improve student outreach and retention.

For the second year in a row, NAFEO and The Sallie Mae Fund joined forces to open the national essay competition to students attending one of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) or students committed to attending one of these institutions in the fall of 2007. Applicants were asked to write a 500-word essay describing why HBCUs and/or PBIs are uniquely suited to prepare diverse students to compete in today's global economy.

Dr. Lezli Baskerville, president and CEO of NAFEO, says, "The 'Writers of Passage' competition held during the month of March creates for HBCU and PBI students the type of 'March Madness' characteristic of the core values of our institutions: focused first and foremost on academic competitiveness, the spirit of excellence, and providing unique and enriching experiences for diverse students. Films in recent years have drawn national attention to the 'Drum Line' HBCU competitions and step shows ('Stomp the Yard'). These films depict important aspects of HBCU campus life and a small part of the HBCU culture. The 'Writers of Passage" competition focuses national attention on the heart and soul of HBCUs: preparing diverse students for service and global competitiveness."

Hosted by Dr. Lester C. Newman, president of Mississippi Valley State University, the judges represented diverse backgrounds: Mr. Joe Barden, representative of The Sallie Mae Fund; Ms. A'Lelia Bundles, award-winning author of On Her Own Ground: The Life & Times of Madam C.J. Walker and Black Hair: Art, Style & Culture; Ms. Brenda Rhodes Miller, author of The Church Ladies' Celestial Suppers & Sensible Advice, The Church Ladies' Divine Desserts, The Laying on of Hands and the founding executive director of D.C. Campaign to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy; and Mr. Ronald Roach, senior writer, Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

The Sallie Mae Fund created the "Writers of Passage" competition in partnership with NAFEO to underscore the importance of writing skills in the college admissions process for African-American students. This emphasis is particularly relevant in light of relatively new writing requirements for the SAT.

"While many promising young students assume that they will not be able to cover the cost of college, scholarships like these make a significant difference in helping them bridge the financial gap," said Kathleen deLaski, president of The Sallie Mae Fund. "This program, in particular, not only helps deserving students pursue and finance a higher education, but it also encourages them to be more active readers and writers and helps HBCUs and PBIs stay competitive when recruiting and enrolling top students in the future."

The Sallie Mae Fund's scholarship programs, including the "Writers of Passage" program, aim to address one of the key barriers to college access: financial need among underserved populations. Since 2001, The Sallie Mae Fund has awarded more than $10 million in scholarships to specifically address financial need among promising young students. More information about The Sallie Mae Fund's scholarship programs can be found at www.salliemaefund.org.

National Association for Equal Opportunity In Higher Education (NAFEO), the mission of the Association is: to champion the interests of historically and predominantly black colleges and universities with the executive, legislative, regulatory and judicial branches of federal and state government and with corporations, foundations, associations and non-governmental organizations; to provide services to NAFEO members; to build the capacity of HBCUs, their executives, administrators, faculty, staff and students; and to serve as an international voice and advocate for the preservation and enhancement of historically and predominantly black colleges and universities and for blacks in higher education. For more information, visit www.nafeo.org.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a postsecondary 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.