This article originally appeared in the July 2005 edition of diversityinbusiness.com

Copyright 2005 by GENLIGHT Por EL, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and graphic images are copyrighted property of GENLIGHT Por EL, Inc. and may not be used without written consent.  All rights reserved.

by Dan Perkins

Source: U.S. Newswire

When it comes to addressing the needs of the market, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is doing a lot more than just building high-performance automobiles.  This year, MBUSA will award $1 million in scholarships to 500 college-bound students who have the distinction of being the first in their families to attend college.  The financial assistance is made available through DRIVE YOUR FUTURE:The Mercedes-Benz USA Scholarship Program. The program awards $2,000, one-time scholarships to students needing help meeting the cost of tuition and other college expenses.

MBUSA reported that nearly 2,000 high school seniors applied for the scholarship this year.  Five hundred students, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, were selected on the basis of financial need as well as exceptional achievement in the areas of academic performance, leadership and school and community activities.

“It is extremely rewarding to have the opportunity to assist so many students across the country – students who have demonstrated significant achievements despite financial hardship or personal obstacles,” said Paul Halata, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.  “DRIVE YOUR FUTURE celebrates the accomplishments of these dedicated young people who will go on to shape our world through new inventions, the arts, technology, business and maybe even the automotive world.  The principles of success – hard work, determination and a commitment to excellence – have served Mercedes-Benz well for over one hundred years and we hope to inspire the same ideals in our youth today.”

The DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program was created in collaboration with Scholarship America and is part of MBUSA's broader philanthropic initiative aimed at educating and empowering future generations by helping young people to not only reach their full potential, but to also become leaders of their generation.  Now in its second year, the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE is helping deserving students, like Carolina Lopez of the Bronx, New York, offset the costs of postsecondary education.  "I feel very fortunate to be the first in my family to go to college and believe that this scholarship will help give me the opportunities I need to succeed in life," said Lopez in the MBUSA release.  "With the Mercedes-Benz scholarship, I hope to reduce my loans which will be of great help to my mother."

Meeting the cost of a college is an increasingly difficult for many American families, especially for those of modest economic means.  For families that have never had a member attend college, a four-year education can be a real luxury.  Through its scholarship program, MBUSA is trying to ease the financial burden exception students and their families will incur during their first year of college.

Mary Sanchez of New York, NY, is quoted in the MBUSA release as saying, "My parents never got the opportunity to go to college and I always knew that the economic factor would be a problem for me, so I am thankful to be receiving this help from Mercedes-Benz." Sanchez, who plans to major in international relations, has a pretty good idea about what she wants out of college and life.  She is eager to learn about the needs of other in order to help them - "just like Mercedes-Benz has helped me," she added.

"For these first generation college-bound students, particularly those from underserved communities, the availability of financial assistance for their first year of college may be a deciding factor in whether or not to continue their education," said Marilyn Rundell, vice president of Scholarship America.

Making a difference in the lives of young people, such as Lopez and Sanchez, is part of MBUSA's commitment to communities in which its employees live and work.  The automaker has built alliances with numerous youth organizations around the nation, including Automotive High School, Big Brothers Big Sisters, FIRST Robotics, Girls Inc., Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, Teach for America, Virtual Enterprises and The Young Women's Leadership School.  Students from these youth-focused organizations have also received financial assistance through the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE Program.

MBUSA's Scholarship Program coincides with MBUSA's growing success in the U.S. market.  In 2004, MBUSA achieved its eleventh consecutive year of sales growth by setting the highest sales volume in its history with 221,610 new vehicle sales.  MBUSA, which is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States.  Philanthropic initiatives are reviewed and implemented through MBUSA corporate headquarters and through its six regional offices around the country.  Students and families interested in learning more about the program are invited to visit www.mbusa.com/drivefuture.   

Below is a list of 2005 DRIVE YOUR FUTURE Scholarship recipients. 

2005 DRIVE YOUR FUTURE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Name

Hometown

School

 Alaska

Antonio Arroyo

Anchorage

University of Alaska - Anchorage

Crystal Blunka

New Stuyahok

University of Alaska - Anchorage

Toua Yang

Anchorage

University of Alaska - Anchorage

 Alabama

Ashley Bonnor

Dothan

Samford University

Lelia Faulkner

Luverne

Troy State University

Ashley Horton

Leighton

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Christopher Latham

Russellville

University of Alabama

Amber McAlpin

Trussville

Auburn University

Carl Prince

Prattville

University of Alabama

 Arizona

Anthony Barringer

Mesa

Arizona State University

Carmen Huerta

Tuscon

University of Arizona

Rory Isbell

Flagstaff

University of Arizona

Joanna Lam

Peoria

Stanford University

Fernando Rodriguez

Phoenix

Harvard College

Diana Solorio

Phoenix

Arizona State University

 Arkansas

Andrew Ashlock

Clarksville

Hendrix College

Sara Draper

Monroe

University of Arkansas at Monticello

Kristen Graddy

Cherokee Village

University of Central Arkansas

Shandon Hill

Harrison

Southwest Missouri State University

LeAntionette Phillips

Warren

University of Arkansas at Monticello

Pamela Tanner

Ola

University of Central Arkansas

 California

Lily Adelzadeh

Citrus Heights

University of California: Davis

Yanhua Cai

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

Daniel Cerrone

Petaluma

University of Notre Dame

Albert Cerrone

Petaluma

University of Notre Dame

Hsuan-Shih

Monterey Park

University of California: Los Angeles

Aminah Cooper

San Francisco

University of California: Berkeley

Keaton Denlay

Chico

San Diego State University

Brisana Flores

Woodlake

University of Notre Dame

Christina Griffin

San Diego

Howard University

Angela Ho

El Monte

Claremont McKenna College

Jessica Moran

Los Banos

University of California: Berkeley

Kristen Morgan

Techachapi

Biola University

Michelle Peters

Los Angeles

University of Tennessee: Chattanooga

Daniel Salazar

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

Christian Strong

Los Angeles

Yale University

Lindsey Taylor

Santa Barbara

California Lutheran University

Stanford Tran

Santa Clara

Stanford University

Thien Truong

San Diego

University of California: San Diego

Danielle Tustin

Santa Barbara

University of California: Los Angeles

 Colorado

Martha Espinoza

Denver

Fordham University

Mandi Henningsen

Federal Heights

Colorado State University

Molly Moran

Colorado Springs

Colorado College

Alejandro Rodriguez Priesto

Denver

University of California: Berkeley

Alyssa Santoriello

Lyons

Colorado State University

Jennifer Vien

Lakewood

University of Colorado at Boulder

 Connecticut

Marisa Birdsell

Bethel

University of Connecticut

Vanessa Damm

Riverside

College of Charleston

Lucineida Fonseca

Waterbury

Yale University

Xue Feng Liu

Uncasville

University of Connecticut

Terese McDermott

New Haven

Hofstra University

Noille Stewart

Bridgeport

Fordham University

 Delaware

Jennifer Brustman

Newark

University of Delaware

Michelle Ciampo

Dagsboro

Delaware Technical and Community College

Jena De Scioli

Wilmington

Loyola College in Maryland

Ashlee Matteson

Bear

University of Delaware

Shannon Reed

Ellendale

George Washington University

 District of Columbia

Hilina Agergizat

Washington

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Alicia Harris

Washington

North Carolina A & T State University

Ramoa Hemmings

Washington

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Ivana Jackson

Washington

Penn State Altoona

Terrence Pleasant

Washington

Bowdoin College

Renee Prather-Hairston

Washington

North Carolina A & T State University

Letrice Shire

Washington

Penn State Altoona

 Florida

Amanda Baab

Orange Park

University of Florida

Yong Bai

Tampa

Georgia Institute of Technology

Anthony Bonna

Port Saint Lucie

Georgetown University

Krystle Bull

Fort Myers

University of Central Florida

Rachel Dinkel

Royal Palm Beach

Florida State University

Agnes Frederic

Miami

Florida International University

Christine Hwa

Wellington

University of Chicago

Richard Larcom

Tampa

University of Florida

Mari Miyazaki

Coral Spring

Willamette University

Eric Munoz

Opa Locka

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Robert Smith

Plantation

Yale University

Viral Vahia

Miami

Florida International University

 Georgia

Niaz Bakhtyar

Lawrenceville

University of Georgia

Shereka Flanagan

Atlanta

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Alonzo Hall, Jr.

Sandersville

University of Georgia

Sadiyya Hendrickson

Macon

Georgia State University

Velshonya Jackson

Augusta

North Carolina State University

Dean Marshall

Albany

Albany State University

Mariah McCulley

Dalton

Colorado State University

Michey Smith

Newnan

University of Alabama

Kayla Smith

Covington

Georgia College and State University

ThanhHang Tran

Jonesboro

University of Georgia

LaQuesha Walker

Lithonia

University of Georgia

Kindria Watkins

Atlanta

Tuskegee University

 Hawaii

Peterson DelaCruz

Hanapepe

University of Southern California

David Johnson

Honolulu

Seattle University

Joanne Kim

Honolulu

Creighton University

Catherine Ly

Honolulu

Harvard College

Michael Pan

Honolulu

Yale University

Aimee Shaw

Honolulu

Tulane University

 Idaho

Michaelah Busse

McCall

University of Washington

Cody Gough

Boise

Stanford University

Emily  Henderson

Mountain Home

University of Northern Colorado

Teri Lehr

Gooding

College of Southern Idaho

Katie Ness

Coeur d'Alene

North Idaho College

Heather Rininger

Indian Valley

Boise State University

 Illinois

Erik Belford

Carmi

University of Evansville

Kenyatta Coleman

Chicago

Xavier University

Katie Croegaert

Geneseo

University of Iowa

Esward Dosz

Blue Island

University of Illinois at Chicago

Sandra Garcia

Chicago

University of Notre Dame

Jennifer Heiser

Gurnee

Marquette University

Ericka Hernandez

Chicago

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jacqueline Jones

Brimfield

Eureka College

Kevin Kemarly

Onarga

Illinois Wesleyan University

Jacqueline Martinez

Chicago

Loyola University of Chicago

Melissa Mata

Peru

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jenny Power

Effingham

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Brian Schmidt

Lemont

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 Indiana

Hannah Baughman

Indianapolis

Earlham College

Brittany Cantrell

Kokomo

Purdue University

Audrey Cornelius

Odon

Indiana University Bloomington

Ashly Denzinger

English

Indiana University Bloomington

Ai-Nhan Do

Indianapolis

Purdue University

Inna Kolesnikova

Indianapolis

Indiana University Bloomington

Heather Lawhorn

Topeka

Purdue University

Stephanie Marshall

Mishawaka

Taylor University

Yeni Nieves

East Chicago

University of Michigan

Miguel Rivera

Hammond

Butler University

Sara Schlomer

Linton

IN University - Purdue University Indianapolis

 Iowa

Amanda Best

Waucoma

University of Minnesota: Twin Cities

Casey Dawson

Des Moines

Boston University

Molly Dennis-Drees

Exira

Morningside College

Justin Nicol

Waterloo

University of Iowa

Allison Pettit

Afton

Northwest Missouri State University

Rachel Redenius

Odebolt

Iowa Central Community College

 Kansas

Nicole Bass

LeRoy

Kansas State University

Scott Bowman

Iola

Kansas State University

Arelis Flores

Kansas City

University of Kansas Medical Center

Kara Kraft

Gridley

Emporia State University

Chelsea L'Ecuyer

Washington

Kansas State University

Phoutdavoune Phimphasone

Liberal

University of Kansas

 Kentucky

Lindsey Howard

Stoney Fork

University of Kentucky

Bradley Luyster

La Grange

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Kayla Moore

Martin

Pikeville College

Savannah Richardson

Tompkinsville

Berea College

Chasity Shirley

Tompkinsville

Eastern Kentucky University

Kayla Slusher

Garrison

Morehead State University

 Louisiana

Lacey Fontenot

Pine Prairie

Louisiana State University at Alexandria

Jessica Jones

Ferriday

University of Louisiana at Monroe

Jamie Landry

Napoleonville

Louisiana State University and A & M College

Heather Mitchell

Many

Northwestern State University

Katie Saucier

Luling

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Derius Skinner

Eunice

Wiley College

 Maine

Jennifer Brine

Sanford

University of Colorado at Boulder

Nicole Clark

South Thomaston

University of Maine

Jessica Ingram

Yarmouth

Quinnipiac University

Robert Myott

Sanford

York County Community College

Lauren Snow

Dover Foxcroft

St. Joseph's College

Michelle Tarbox

Washburn

University of Maine at Presque Isle

 Maryland

William Georg

Oakland

Towson University

Andrew Goad

Mt. Lake Park

VA Polytechnic Institute and State University

Jessica Kitzmiller

Annapolis

Catawba College

Zhenyu Liao

Bethesda

Georgia Institute of Technology

Serena Mitchual

Olney

University of Maryland: Baltimore

Ashley Subolefsky

Elkton

Russell Sage College

Phyllis Xu

North Potomac

Cornell University

 Massachusetts

Shanita Chisholm

Roxbury

Spelman College

Edward Hairston

Boston

College of the Holy Cross

Anthony Hajec

Springfield

Western New England College

Jessica Herrick

Byfield

Salem State College

Jacob LaBelle

Springfield

Holyoke Community College

Richard Lin

Boston

MA College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Jacklyn O'Neil

Sagamore Beach

Emerson College

Sinisa Ubiparipovic

Lynn

Boston College

Jason Wu

Quincy

Brown University

 Michigan

Christina Allen

Madison Heights

Central Michigan University

Jessica Finney

Detroit

University of Detroit Mercy

Johrulislam Khan

Detroit

Wayne State University

Jazmon Kinney

Flint

Saginaw Valley State University

Steven Page

Lansing

Howard University

Ericka Peterson

Litchfield

Grand Valley State University

April Super

Yale

Michigan State University

Aaron Tucker-Stine

Lansing

Michigan State University

 Minnesota

Cody Bendickson

Bejou

Minnesota State University Moorhead

Chelsie Danielson

Fertile

University of North Dakota

Danielle Einfeldt

Brooklyn Park

Medical Institute of Minnesota

Leah Juhl

Roseau

Concordia College: Moorhead

Leah Juster

Maple Grove

College of St. Benedict

Nicole Roberto

Saint Paul

Loyola University of Chicago

 Mississippi

Amanda Brasfield

Columbus

Itawamba Community College

Trang Nguyen

Biloxi

Xavier University

Jessi Rhodes

Pelahatchie

Hinds Community College

Jason Riley

Moss Point