[Nebraska-students] Launch of Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship Fund

[Jamie K. Forbis]

Microsoft Announces Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Redmond, WA -- Microsoft is pleased to announce the launch of the Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship<http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholarship.aspx> intended to empower and enable high school students with disabilities to (a) go to college, (b) realize the impact technology has on the world, and (c) target a career in the technology industry.
The scholarship launched Friday, January 17, 2014 and includes a goal to increase enrollment of persons living with a disability in higher education and, in the long term, decrease the unemployment bias for disabled persons.
This new program was started by, and is supported by, Microsoft employees who will select promising high school seniors who require financial assistance in order to enter and successfully complete a vocational or academic college program.  This non-renewable $5000 scholarship will be paid to the recipient’s Financial Aid Office by the Seattle Foundation on behalf of the DisAbility Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Microsoft.
Eligibility
All candidates must be high school students living with a disability<http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/> who plan to attend a 2 to 4 year University or College program, maintain a cumulative 3.0 CPA or equivalent and have declared a major from the approved list (see scholarship guidelines on application).

Requirements
To apply for the Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship, the student must meet the following guidelines:

1.     Be a current high school senior with living with a disability (as defined by WHO<http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/>), whether that be visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive or speech.

2.     Plan to attend an undergraduate program in a 2 or 4-year University/College or Technical College in the fall of the academic year following high-school graduation.  Schools must be in the USA or have a USA-Affiliate for financial transactions (contact Seattle Foundation to verify non-USA school’s eligibility).

3.     Declare a major in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, legal or in business that are approved (i.e. paralegal, pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing).

4.     Demonstrate a passion for technology.

5.     Demonstrate leadership at school and/or in the community.

6.     Have a high school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

7.     Require financial assistance to attend college.

8.     Enrollment status must be full-time or half time.

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Contact:
DisAbility Employee Resource Group
Microsoft Corporation
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholarship.aspx
Email: Disability Scholarship Fund<mailto:disschol at microsoft.com?subject=DisAbility%20Scholarship%20Fund>

Seattle Foundation
Travis Petersen
Philanthropic Services Associate
Scholarship Manager
_______________________________

The Seattle Foundation
scholarships at seattlefoundation.com<mailto:scholarships at seattlefoundation.com>
1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1300
Seattle WA 98101-3151
(206) 515-2139 direct
(206) 622-7673 fax

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