Posted on October 3, 2012

GM Foundation Awards $4.2 Million in STEM Scholarships

The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program has announced scholarships totaling nearly $4.2 million to eleven hundred students who are pursuing a college degree in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), or related fields.

Funded by the General Motors Foundation, scholarships of up to $25,000 were awarded to a hundred students nationwide; the scholarships are renewable for four years and an additional year for students in a qualifying five-year engineering program. In addition, a thousand students received one-time awards of $2,000.

Announced at the NBC News Education Nation Summit, this year's recipients hail from all fifty states and include five hundred and twenty-seven individuals who are the first in their families to attend college and seventy-three from military families. The program, which recognizes students for excelling not only in the classroom but also in the community, expanded its eligibility criteria to include current undergraduates.

"Students are graduating today with more than $25,000 in debt, [which hinders] them with years of financial burden," said GM Foundation president Vivian Pickard. "Through the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, the GM Foundation is able to alleviate some of those financial hurdles, while fostering the growth of the next generation of leaders for STEM-related fields."

For a complete list of recipients, visit the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program Web site.