Dollarship awards inaugural $500 scholarships to 4 U.S. college students
Trade school, international students encouraged to apply
PHOENIX, AZ (PRWEB) May 13, 2004 -– Dollarship, the world’s first
peer-to-peer scholarship network, awarded its first round of $500 “Dollarships”
today, chipping away at college costs for students from New York to California.
“I stumbled across Dollarship during my search for scholarships,” said
Christina Kalinka, a University of Michigan senior and Dollarship winner who is
headed to Columbia University for a master’s degree in counseling psychology. “I
can personally vouch that this scholarship is for real, and I encourage everyone
to apply.”
Officially opened on Jan. 1, Dollarship has received more than
4,500 applications from 33 countries. Dollarship.com has received more than
800,000 page views during that time.
“We were confident from the
beginning, but the enormous response has really validated our aspirations,” said
Josh Barsch, Dollarship CEO. “Students want to help each other and to be a part
of something bigger than themselves, and Dollarship is fast becoming their
vehicle for that.”
In addition to Kalinka, other winners included Amber
Green, a freshman at Central Washington University; Mike Bateman, a high school
senior bound for College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., and Judit
Arroyo, a psychology major at Depaul University in Chicago.
“Dollarship
has given me the opportunity to continue my studies and pursue my dream of
becoming an animal behaviorist,” said Arroyo, who hopes to one day open her own
animal rescue group.
Applicants are required to write a one-page essay
describing their exceptional work ethic and commitment to excellence. The
scholarships, awarded every three months, are available to vocational/technical
school, ministry and continuing education students, as well as those attending
traditional college and universities. Students attending school in any country
may apply.
Barsch said it was an easy decision to open the scholarships
to international, trade-school and other students traditionally excluded from
consideration for many scholarships. International students desperately need
financial aid, he said, and a majority of scholarships already exclude
trade-school students.
“It didn’t make sense to us not to include
everyone,” he said. “Why doesn’t a truck driver or cosmetologist deserve the
same chance at financial aid that a sociology or English major gets? Anyone
trying to better herself through education deserves the same shot.”
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/5/prweb125332.htm