Sony launches education scholarship program

The program commences in Long Beach this afternoon when the Hearst /California State University Trustee Award winners will be the first recipients of Sony’s scholarship grants. The grants include a Sony VAIO notebook, Webbie high-definition camera with 16-gigabyte memory card and Walkman MP3 player.

In addition to the CSU students to be honored at today’s event, Sony will also award grants to junior faculty members at several CSU campuses. Selected CSU tenure-track junior faculty members will receive a Sony VAIO notebook, Sony HD Camcorder with 16-gigabyte Memory Stick, Sony Reader and 26-inch display Bravia television. The CSU System will be making a separate announcement this fall of their selections for these new faculty awards.

“Technology is a huge part of the learning process today,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of Sony Electronics. “We understand the added pressures students and faculty have during these tough economic times, and want to help outstanding individuals focus on what’s really important – education.”

“Intel is pleased to join Sony in designing and supporting this program, which provides notebook computers to deserving students at a time when both family and state education budgets are under pressure, “ said Anne Gregory, Intel’s state and local education program manager, “Having a fast, light, and up-to-date notebook computer can help these students keep up with their studies and gives them a boost besides.”

At today’s announcement, Sony’s will provide scholarship grants to 30 universities and community colleges across the US at its “First Wave” of participating campuses selected for the new program. Student grant recipients will be chosen by their campuses based on financial need and academic excellence and all grants may be added either to an existing scholarship or used to create a new one. Outside of the CSU System, Sony grants will be awarded to students and junior faculty members at Florida State University at Tallahassee, Indiana University at Bloomington, The Maricopa County Community College District of Tempe, Ariz., New Mexico State University at Las Cruces, The University of Hawaii at Manoa, The University of Oregon at Eugene, University of California at San Diego and The University of Southern California. Each of these institutions will be announcing their grant recipients in the near future and will be hosting awards events this fall.