DEARBORN, Mich., March 8, 2010 – On March 15, 2010, Ford Motor Company Fund will launch the “Heart Behind the Oval” scholarship contest, awarding three scholarships to students who best describe the impact they are making in their community.
Modeled after Ford’s own standard of giving back to the communities in which it works, the two-part scholarship contest is open to high school seniors and current college students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university by September 30, 2010. The first place prizewinner will receive a $3,000 scholarship, second place a $2,000 scholarship and third place a $1,000 scholarship.
“The Heart Behind the Oval scholarship contest salutes students who share the same value of giving back to the community that Ford has demonstrated for more than a century,” said Mike Schmidt, Director, Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “More important, the program allows us to invest in these students’ futures.”
Students are required to submit a 1,000 – 2,000 character written essay demonstrating what their heart is behind, explaining how they are making a difference in their community. From contributing to local non-profit organizations to mentoring or volunteer work, each eligible submission will be judged based on originality, content, clarity, grammar and community impact. To register or view the Official Rules visit: www.fordscholars.org.
Ten semi-finalists will win an ULTRA HD FLIP Cam for their outstanding efforts. The semi-finalists will then use the Cam to produce a 3-minute video illustrating their essay. The videos will be posted to www.fordscholars.org for public voting May 10 – 14, 2010. The public votes combined with the judging panel will determine the scholarship winners. The winners will be announced on May 17, 2010.
Ford Motor Company strongly supports higher education. The “Heart Behind The Oval” scholarship contest is operated in conjunction with the Ford Blue Oval Scholar’s program. The program’s website, www.fordscholars.org, is a national web-based initiative open to the public as a resource for available scholarships supported by Ford Motor Company Fund. It also provides past Ford Motor Company Fund scholarship winners a place to network, coordinate community service activities and learn about internships and careers.
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is a community relations and philanthropic non-profit funded by Ford Motor Company. Ford Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster and promote innovation in education, greater automotive safety and American heritage and diversity. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS), which provides 21st century skills-based curriculum to more than 60,000 high school students; and Ford Driving Skills for Life, which has taught safe driving skills to more than 337,000 young drivers. In addition, the Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, enlists the help of thousands of Ford employees and retirees who volunteer their time to continue Ford’s legacy of community service worldwide. For more information about programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, please visit www.community.ford.com, www.volunteer.ford.com or www.abrighterfuture.ford.com.
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