Contact: Heidi Weber (518) 437-4993

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 1, 2003) -- An award from the Avon Foundation will allow eight women to transfer to the University at Albany from local community colleges through the Avon Initiatives For Women's (IFW) Life Impact Scholarship program.

UAlbany has received $36,000 -- the first part of a two-year grant for $72,000 for the program, which will provide the women with resources for tuition and other educational expenses. The women who benefit from these scholarships are non-traditional students who would not otherwise have the financial means to transfer to UAlbany from local community colleges.

In addition to tuition aid, a portion of the Avon grant will be used to create a support service that will target and directly serve the unique needs of these non-traditional women students by providing advice, mentoring, counseling and general support. The Foundation previously awarded a total of $100,000 in grants to the Life Impact Scholarship program.

"The Avon Foundation is committed to supporting community organizations that provide the services and programs women need to better their lives and the lives of their families," said Kathleen Walas, president of the Foundation and corporate social responsibility officer. "Through providing these scholarships for non-traditional female students, we are helping women get a strong educational foundation that will benefit the development of their careers."

The mission of the Avon Foundation is to improve the lives of women and their families by supporting organizations and programs that provide women and girls with economic opportunity and physical and emotional well-being. A 501(c) (3) public charity since 1955, it has funded over 11,000 grants and scholarships, which benefit women and their families. Further information is available on the Foundation's web site at www.avonfoundation.org.

Launched in 1993, Initiatives For Women provides annual awards to University at Albany's women students, staff and faculty to promote their educational and professional development. For more information, visit www.albany.edu/ifw.

Established in 1844 and designated a center of the State University of New York in 1962, the University at Albany's broad mission of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and public service engages 17,000 diverse students in eight degree-granting schools and colleges.

For more information about this nationally ranked University, visit https://www.albany.edu.

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