BRAINTREE, Mass., March 28, 2006—Denver-area runners are invited to participate in the second annual Nellie Mae Scholarship Scuttle 5K road race, presented by the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law Student Bar Association. The event's title sponsor is Nellie Mae, a top originator of student loans and a leader in helping students manage their debt and understand the responsibilities of borrowing. Last year's event raised $10,000 for Denver law students.
"Nellie Mae is committed to doing its part to strengthen the community where we live and work," said John Marcus, president of Nellie Mae. "By partnering with the United Way and local community organizations, Nellie Mae employees are able to act as good neighbors and make a positive difference in the lives of local children and families."
This year, more than 400 adult and children runners and walkers are expected to turn out for the race, slated to commence at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 2 in Denver's Washington Park. Registration and T-shirt pick up begin at 9 a.m. Following the 5K race, the event will offer a "Kids Sprint" race, an awards ceremony and lunch. This USA Track & Field-certified course is a qualifying event for the Bolder Boulder Memorial Day 10K.
Eighty percent of the proceeds from the race will benefit the Sturm College of Law's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP), which enables students to accept and remain in public interest positions by helping to pay for law school debt. The other 20 percent will be donated to the Bobbie Lou Mae White Scholarship. Second- and third-year law students are eligible for the scholarship if they maintain a 3.0 GPA and can prove their interest in criminal prosecution by supplying a letter from a district attorney for whom they have interned or volunteered.
"We are thrilled to bring this event to the Denver area, and to support an organization dedicated to helping students give back to their community," said John Marcus, president of Nellie Mae. "Nellie Mae remains dedicated to helping students manage their debt and prepare for a sound financial future, and we hope this event will allow University of Denver law graduates to contribute to communities that are typically underprivileged and unable to afford legal services, regardless of their salary."
Details, directions and online registration for the events are available online: www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1302081.
For more information about Nellie Mae, please visit www.nelliemae.com. To find a local United Way organization in your area, go to http://national.unitedway.org.
About Nellie Mae Since 1982, Nellie Mae has focused exclusively on providing education financing for undergraduate and graduate students and families. Programs include Federal Stafford, PLUS and Consolidation Loans, as well as private loans. Online services include loan pre-approval, a loan information center, and debt-management tools to help students before and after college. Visit www.nelliemae.com for more information. Located in Braintree, Mass., Nellie Mae is a wholly owned affiliate of Sallie Mae, the nation's largest provider of education funding. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States.
The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post secondary education for America's children—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information, visit www.salliemaefund.org.