Sallie Mae to Make Major Scholarship Announcement on Tuesday, April 12

NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sallie Mae, the nation's saving, planning, and paying for college company, will make a major scholarship announcement on Tuesday, April 12, at 2:30 p.m. Four deserving high school students, along with their families and high school counselors, will travel to Newark, Del., for a special ceremony at Clayton Hall on the campus of the University of Delaware. They will be joined by Sallie Mae Chairman and CEO Raymond J. Quinlan, along with more than 500 Sallie Mae employees from the company's Newark headquarters, and invited local and elected officials.

Sallie Mae asked high school counselors across the U.S. to nominate students for the inaugural Bridging the Dream Scholarship, which is designed to reward students who exemplify excellence both inside and outside the classroom, and who have desire and dedication to make college happen. The significant scholarship amount — to be revealed at the April 12 event — includes money raised through fundraising activities organized by Sallie Mae employees across the country, along with a corporate contribution.

After receiving and reviewing hundreds and hundreds of compelling entries, Sallie Mae will bring the following four finalists, their families, and supporters to Newark to reveal the Bridging the Dream Scholarship award:

• Bryana Blanco, 18, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., nominated by counselor Lisa Solovay. Bryana is a senior honor student at West Broward High School. She is an aspiring nurse and dedicates much of her free time to community service activities and tutoring other students.
• Kayla Pinzur, 17, of Brewster, N.Y., nominated by counselor Kate Simmons. An honor student near the top of her class at Brewster High School, Kayla is a competitive dancer and aspiring physical therapist. She also devotes her time to helping others as a children's dance instructor.
• Kendal Cooney, 17, of Camden, Mich., nominated by counselor Carmen Hughes. Kendal is a junior, four-sport athlete, and academic standout at Camden-Frontier High School. Kendal's life took a dramatic turn when she lost her mother to breast cancer in 2014. Inspired by her mother and those who cared for her, Kendal is determined to reach college and enter the medical field.
• Quinton Lopez, 17, of Canoga Park, Calif., nominated by counselor Jeff Fuller. A budding aerialist and gymnastics star, Quinton is an honor student at Chaminade College Preparatory. Quinton balances multiple college-level courses with early morning aerial and gymnastic practices and late night study sessions. He is also passionate about helping others, and dreams of becoming a pediatric surgeon.

The Sallie Mae Bridging the Dream Scholarship is part of the company's continued commitment to helping students and families reach the dream of a college education. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Rick Castellano at 302-451-2541.

WHO:				Sallie Mae Bridging the Dream Scholarship finalists, families, and supporters.
				Sallie Mae Chairman and CEO Raymond J. Quinlan, along with executive leadership and more than 500 employees from Sallie Mae, which is headquartered in Newark, Del.
WHAT:				The awarding of the inaugural Bridging the Dream Scholarship, a major scholarship from Sallie Mae, the nation's saving, planning, and paying for college company.
WHEN				Tuesday, April 12, 2016
and				2:30 p.m. (Media recommended to arrive at 2 p.m.)
WHERE:				Clayton Hall
				University of Delaware
				100 David Hollowell Dr.
				Newark, Del., 19716

Sallie Mae SLM is the nation's saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.

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