1/9/06
The Burger King/McLamore Foundation and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) have teamed up to grant $50,000 over the next three years to students attending historically black colleges and universities across the country.
The program will focus on providing African American college and university students an opportunity to receive additional funds toward educational expenses. "The generosity of the Burger King/McLamore Foundation has thrown an educational lifeline to college students whose education was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina," said UNCF president and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax. "These scholarships will ensure students who were attending UNCF member colleges impacted by Katrina can still get the unique HBCU education they originally chose and that all of UNCF's historically black colleges and universities offer."
Funding was made possible thanks to collaboration with BURGER KING® multicultural marketing through the VIBE MusicFest and 3-on-3 basketball tournament promotions. In addition, the Burger King/McLamore Foundation has created a fundraising campaign targeting BURGER KING® franchisees and system suppliers in an effort to raise additional funds.
"When this opportunity presented itself, we saw the United Negro College Fund as the ideal organization to work alongside to reach into the community with this new initiative," said Sherry Ulsh, Burger King/McLamore Foundation, executive director. "Their network of educational institutions and close ties to the African American community will bolster program awareness, ensuring the program's success."
As an added benefit to customers, the Burger King/McLamore Foundation will offer the opportunity to purchase Treat Sheets online throughout the promotion at www.bk.com. Learn more about the Burger King/McLamore Foundation and the Burger King Scholars Program at www.bkmfoundation.com.
In this the program's inaugural year, scholarships will be designated to victims of Hurricane Katrina by granting $20,000 to displaced students from Dillard University, Xavier University of Louisiana and Tougaloo College. In addition, the Metro New York Franchisee Association comprised of BURGER KING® franchisees in the New York and New Jersey areas donated additional scholarship funds for this year's Katrina efforts.
Scholarships will be granted based on academic achievement, work experience, school official and employer recommendations, and demonstrated participation in extra-curricular activities. Scholarship recipients will be awarded $1,000 each and will be announced in March.
About the Burger King/McLamore Foundation
Incorporated in October 1997, the Burger King/McLamore Foundation is a public, non-profit organization whose funds are derived from BURGER KING system members and consumers, creating an endowment to build brighter futures through education for youth in our communities. The Foundation honors co-founder James W. McLamore and his lifelong commitment to education. To date, the Foundation has awarded a total of 8,526 scholarships representing more than $8.5 million.
About the United Negro College Fund
As the nation's oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization, the United Negro College Fund's mission is to provide financial support to its 39 member institutions and increase minority degree attainment by reducing financial barriers to college. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 25% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers nearly 450 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship programs, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 65,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country.