Media Contact: Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 505-277-5915

Oct. 16, 2002 GALLUP NATIVE AMONG SELECT FEW TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP University of New Mexico undergraduate Genevieve Eros has received a Ford Motor Company/American Indian College Fund Corporate scholarship award of approximately $9,000 for the 2002-03 academic year. Only 12 scholarships were awarded nationally to students attending non-tribal colleges. The recipients have a 3.0 grade point average or above and have demonstrated leadership and commitment to their community. "This scholarship is a unique program that is helping American Indian students to realize their dreams," said Rick Williams, College Fund executive director. "We are pleased to be a part of this process and are proud of the students and their achievements." The scholarship will fund tuition, books and fees. "I was recently accepted to the UNM Anderson Schools of Management (ASM) and that was a big step for me," said Eros, a junior at UNM majoring in management information systems. "The scholarship has helped me tremendously." A Navajo and graduate of Gallup High School, she has a current GPA of 3.66. She earned an associate degree at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) IN Albuquerque. Eros is active with the American Indian Business Association at ASM. "Genevieve has an awesome academic record," said Pamela Agoyo, director of UNM's American Indian Student Services. "Her experience as a transfer student is very valuable. She can be a mentor to incoming freshmen and she is very interested in being involved in our student organizations like she was at SIPI." Established in 1989, the American Indian College Fund has existed for more than a decade to help increase educational opportunities for Native students. The Denver-based non-profit is the largest provider of privately-funded Indian college scholarships in the country assisting more than 5,000 students in achieving their college education each year. ###

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