Date: January 17, 2006
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC College Bound Program Announces New Donors

WESTVILLE – The Purdue University North Central College Bound scholarship program has received the support of community partners St. Anthony Memorial Health Centers and Tonn & Blank Construction of Michigan City, with the creation of an endowment that was announced at Martin Luther King Jr., Day activities at PNC.

Also announced Monday is a partnership with the LaPorte Community Schools that will make the PNC College Bound Program available to students there.

The Michigan City Area Schools is already actively participating in the PNC College Bound program, with 30 students participating in the inaugural 2005 – 2006 academic year. PNC College Bound will provide full PNC scholarships to students in these participating school systems who show potential in an area where PNC offers a baccalaureate degree. Students will be selected for the College Bound program in the seventh grade and will begin participating in various learning and enrichment activities as eighth graders. Students will remain in the program through high school and new eighth grade students will be added each following year as the program continues.

The scholarships will be financed through donations from area organizations, grants and individual contributions.

In addition to the new St. Anthony Memorial Health Centers and Tonn & Blank Construction endowment, the PNC College Bound program has also forged partnerships with Horizon Bank, City Savings Bank and Sullair Corp., of Michigan City, the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation and NIPSCO.

“We are thrilled with the community support we have received for the PNC College Bound program,” said PNC Chancellor James B. Dworkin. “It is encouraging that so many businesses and organizations are making an investment in this scholarship program.

“This fall I had the honor of meeting the first group of Michigan City students participating in PNC College Bound. The students were eager to start their activities and their parents and guardians were happy and grateful that this opportunity was available. We look forward to the day these students graduate with PNC degrees so they can pursue secure, well-paying careers in Northwest Indiana, raise their families here and become our community leaders.”

For information about making a contribution to College Bound, contact Joseph Goepfrich, PNC vice chancellor for advancement, at 800-872-1231, ext. 5672.

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