First Accenture Junior and Community College Scholarship Winners Honored

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) honored 20 winners of the first annual Accenture Junior and Community College Scholarship today at the U.S. Capitol. The honorees, who are transitioning from junior and community colleges to four-year institutions to continue their education, will each receive a $5,000 scholarship for the coming school year. Additionally, they will be eligible for an additional $5,000 for another year, or until they earn a bachelor’s degree.

The students were born in seven countries – Albania, China, Hungary, Mexico, Russia, Senegal and the United States – and live in six states – California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. Most of the winners, who were selected from more than 160 applicants, are the first in their families to attend college, and most have been juggling school work, full-time jobs and household demands, while graduating in the top of their class. Their career aspirations range from accounting and broadcast journalism to medicine and business.


“Junior and community colleges do a wonderful job of preparing students to become better equipped to continue their education and to face real-world challenges,” said William D. Green, Accenture’s chairman and CEO, who credits his experience at Dean College in Franklin, Mass., for giving him his start. “We are delighted to support outstanding junior- and community-college students who plan to earn undergraduate degrees. The future of our country depends on an educated workforce, and I urge leaders of business and government to join us in helping students across America realize their full potential by completing their education and developing the skills that will enhance their careers.”


Green joined the students for breakfast at the Capitol today, along with U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and five members of the U.S. House of Representatives: George Miller (D-CA), Allen Boyd (D-FL), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and George Radonovich (R-CA).

Following the breakfast, the students had a special tour of the Capitol and attended a leadership training workshop at Accenture’s Washington office.


U.S. Rep. George Miller, chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, said that from his own experience as a community college graduate, “I believe junior and community colleges provide students with the foundation they need to move on to a four-year college and/or to become a part of our workforce. I am thrilled that this scholarship initiative will help open the doors of opportunity for 20 exceptional students. As we continue to confront new challenges in global competitiveness and innovation, lawmakers, the business community and colleges and universities all must work together to help make college more affordable and accessible for all students.”


U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, said, “California has a robust community college system that provides young people with great opportunities for entering the higher education system. I am excited that the business community is stepping up to encourage students to use community college as a stepping stone to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges are integral to America’s ability to ensure that everyone who wants a higher education can get one. On that basis, I applaud Accenture’s scholarship program.”


The Accenture Junior and Community College Scholarship Fund, which was established earlier this year, is part of Accenture’s commitment to providing greater access to higher education and developing a more competitive U.S. workforce.


To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate course at an accredited two-year junior or community college; plan to transfer to an accredited four-year college or university to pursue a baccalaureate degree; and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent). Selection criteria include academic record, demonstrated leadership, goals and aspirations, participation in school and community activities and work experience. The scholarship fund is being administered by Scholarship America, the nation’s largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship and educational support organization.


More information about the Accenture Junior and Community College Scholarship can be found at www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/accenturecommunity.

Recipients of the first Accenture Junior and Community College Scholarship award are:


Eva Baylon - Chula Vista, Calif.
Joan Grace Bitanga - Bedford Hills, N.Y.
Xiaoling Gao - Germantown, Md.
Kristen Johnson - Silver Spring, Md.
Stephanie Joyce - Canton, Mass.
Dimitri Kametas - Oak Lawn, Ill.
Janet Kirsch - Abingdon, Md.
Krisztina Kotka - South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Sylvie Leary - Gaithersburg, Md.
Aimee McFarland - Madera, Calif.
Gilles Mepossi Noutcha - Hyattsville, Md.
Jeffrey Morgenstein - Los Angeles
Gjergj Ndoja - Tallahassee, Fla.
Sarah Riordan - West Spring, Ill.
Maria Sanchez - Napa, Calif.
Tiffany Seto - Foster City, Calif.
Kurt Shenk - Gaithersburg, Md.
Jaspreet Singh - Vallejo, Calif.
Andrew Smith - Pelham, N.Y.
Sarah Vandy - Rockville, Md.