02.24.2004
NISSAN HELPS "SHIFT" MINORITY YOUTH THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION
Nissan North America Donates $75,000 to the United Negro College Fund's Scholarship Program

LOS ANGELES (February 24, 2004) – Nissan North America (NNA) and The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) announced a new scholarship program that will award 11 Los Angeles-based high school seniors a total of $45,000 in scholarships.

The Nissan/UNCF “SHIFT_knowledge” Scholarship Program was developed in support of NNA and UNCF’s mutual goal of promoting education, leadership, and diversity among the minority youth.

Seniors who will be attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) this fall and who have demonstrated academic achievement with a minimum grade point average of 3.0, are eligible for the scholarship.

“We are pleased to partner with UNCF to help invest in the future of our youth’s education,” said Kyle W. Bazemore, senior manager of corporate communications for NNA. “This new program is part of Nissan's commitment to promote education for today's youth."

"The word ‘shift’ is very important to this program," Bazemore said. “We understand how a shift in a person’s life can impact his or her surroundings. This scholarship program is intended to have youth demonstrate their own "shifts" they've had in their own lives or in their communities.”

Scholarship applicants are to provide a one-page essay on a "shift" they may have made in their life and how a significant person or event epitomizing Black History Month inspired them to make that "shift".

UNCF Area Development Director Renita Tyson said, “This program will allow youth to share experiences, their lives, and their feelings on what Black History Month means to them. Also, this programs provides participating students with an opportunity to become acquainted with industry professionals at one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers.”

A selection committee chosen by the NNA and UNCF will judge applications to determine the scholarship recipients. In addition to completing the application form and one-page essay, students must supply an official high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from a teacher and a community leader and a letter of acceptance from an HBCU.
Scholarships will be rewarded as follows: 1- $10,000, 4- $5,000 and 6- $2,500, totaling $45,000. The remaining $30,000 will be donated to other UNCF programs.

About Nissan North America, Inc.
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infiniti.com or contact the corporate media line at 310-771-5631.

About The United Negro College Fund
Founded in 1944, The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization. Its mission is to enhance the quality of education by providing financial assistance to deserving students, raising operating funds for UNCF’s 39 member colleges and universities, and strengthening the capacity of minority serving institutions through technical assistance. UNCF administers more than 450 scholarships and fellowships to students and faculty who attend UNCF member colleges and universities, other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and majority institutions throughout the country. In its 59-year history, UNCF has raised more than $2 billion to promote higher education achievement and has helped more than 300,000 students earn undergraduate and graduate degrees. For more information about UNCF, visit www.uncf.org.





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