DATE: October 8, 2007

FiSCA Awards Scholarships to Twenty-Four Outstanding College-Bound Students

Program Has Awarded More than $396,000 to 164 Deserving Students From Across the Country over the Past Eight Years

Phoenix, AZ – For the eighth consecutive year, the Financial Service Centers of America (FiSCA) has awarded scholarships to college bound seniors in areas across the United States serviced by its members. The awards were announced at FiSCA’s 19th Annual Conference & Exposition, taking place in Phoenix, AZ. This year, 24 exemplary students from the East, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest and West sections of the country each received cash grants of at least $2,000 to use toward their college expenses. In total, $54,500 in scholarships was awarded, the criteria for which include:

• Commitment to community service
• Perseverance in the face of significant obstacles
• Display leadership skills in school
• Academic Achievement
• An original essay specifically for the competition

The competition for the scholarships is intense, with more than 1,000 high school seniors applying for the 24 awards. All applications are ranked first by regional and then national review committees.

Of particular note, one of this year’s recipients, Katherine Sesow, who lives in Arizona, was highlighted. A previously-recorded acceptance speech was delivered at the Scholarship Awards Presentation.

“Higher education is crucial to the success of young people today, yet rising college tuitions make it virtually impossible for many worthy students to attend,” said Sandy Herman, Chairman, FiSCA Scholarship Program. “Nevertheless, as Ms. Sesow so clearly demonstrates, this country is full of committed, goal-oriented and intelligent students who deserve every opportunity to excel in school. FiSCA is honored to help make their dreams a reality.”

With this year’s awards FiSCA has issued $396,000 in college grants to 164 deserving students across the country since the program’s inception in 1999. The scholarship program is funded by the voluntary contributions of numerous FiSCA members and affiliate members, including MoneyGram International and Western Union. 

“FiSCA members are committed to being good corporate citizens and the scholarship program is just one way that we can give back to those communities where we work and live,” continued Herman. “With education comes opportunity, and it is indeed an honor to help these deserving students achieve their academic potential.”

The winners of the 2007 FiSCA Scholarship Program include:

FiSCA, founded in 1987, is the national trade association for more than 6,000 individual financial service centers across the United States. FiSCA members provide a wide variety of financial services and products to their communities, including check cashing, money orders, money transfers, and electronic bill payment services, automatic teller machine access, government benefit and payroll payments, payday advances, electronic tax preparation, prepaid debit cards, deposit acceptance services, public transportation fare and token sales, motor vehicle license plate and title distribution, postage stamp sales and numerous other services. For more information, please visit www.fisca.org.

###