Seven Students From Western Pennsylvania Awarded

PITTSBURGH - Paying for college just got easier for seven children of Verizon employees who have earned college scholarships from the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

Each student will receive $5,000 annually toward his or her college expenses and is eligible to receive a maximum award of $20,000 throughout four years of college.

This year’s recipients are:

• Zachary Barzanty of Bridgeville, a graduate of South Fayette High School and son of employee Dane Barzanty, who plans to attend Grove City College.

• Jennifer Bittner of Everson, a graduate of Southmoreland High School and daughter of employee Elayne Faust, who plans to attend Waynesburg College.
• Steelton Flynn of Butler, a graduate of Butler Area Senior High School and son of employee Bernard Flynn, who plans to attend Penn State Erie – The Behrend College.
• Brandi Frazier Hall, a graduate of Penn Hills Senior High School and daughter of employee Marsha Frazier, who plans to attend Penn State McKeesport.
• Emily Hosack of Mercer, a graduate of Kennedy Catholic and daughter of employee William Hosack, who plans to attend Westminster College.
• Samantha Speigel of Washington, a graduate of Washington High School and daughter of employee William Speigel, who plans to attend Allegheny College.
• Kevin Williams of Valencia, a graduate of Mars Area High School and son of employee Mary Ann Williams, who plans to attend Robert Morris University.

The seven are among 23 students across Pennsylvania receiving up to $460,000 worth of scholarships for four years of college.

Verizon’s scholarship program selects recipients based on financial need, academic achievement and extracurricular activities. The scholarships are for high school seniors who plan to attend an accredited four-year institution.

Since 2001, more than 1,800 students from across the country have benefited from the scholarship program, which has invested more than $27.7 million toward the college education of children and dependents of Verizon employees. For the 2007-2008 academic year, the Verizon Foundation will invest approximately $4.8 million toward the education of 957 Verizon scholars, including 250 freshman and 707 upperclassmen.

“Our commitment to developing a skilled work force for the 21st century begins at home, with the children of our employees,” said William B. Petersen, president of Verizon Pennsylvania. “Verizon proudly supports these students because we realize that an investment in their education is an investment in our future.” 

The Verizon Foundation awards the scholarships in partnership with Scholarship America, the nation’s largest nonprofit, private sector scholarship and educational support organization, which was founded in 1958.

A list of Verizon scholars is available on the Verizon Foundation Web site, at www.verizon.com/foundation. 

The Verizon Foundation is committed to improving literacy and K-12 education; fostering awareness and prevention of domestic violence; and promoting the use of technology in health-care delivery.  In 2006, the foundation awarded more than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also matched charitable donations from Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined contributions. Under the foundation’s Verizon Volunteer initiative, one of the nation’s largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community service since Verizon’s inception in 2000.

For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 60.7 million customers nationwide.  Verizon’s Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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