Jessie Ramos Awarded Scholarship from ICUT Foundation

ABILENE, TX (10/03/2013)(readMedia)-- Hardin-Simmons University freshman, Jessie Ramos, of Stamford, Texas, has been selected to receive a $2,400 UPS Scholarship provided through the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) Foundation.

"Through this national scholarship program, the Council of Independent Colleges* and UPS are delighted to make it possible for 609 deserving young men and women to attend the private college or university of their choice," said Richard Ekman, president of CIC. "By directly assisting students with significant financial need, CIC and UPS are helping a new generation of students achieve their dreams of a college education."

Since 1985, The UPS Foundation has funded more than $2.1 million in scholarships for Texas students. At the national level, the Council of Independent Colleges teams up with the UPS Foundation to distribute funding of the UPS Scholarship. This year, CIC awarded nearly $1.5 million in scholarships from its UPS Educational Endowment Fund to private institutions of higher learning across the nation, including a grant of $86,400 to the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Foundation. HSU awards the scholarship based on the students' academic achievement and financial need.

"In 2011, The UPS Foundation and UPS employees directed $93.5 million in philanthropy and in-kind services, including more than 1.6 million hours of volunteer service, to the local communities in which we operate," said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation. "UPS is proud to continue that spirit of giving by partnering with CIC to support thousands of students working to become the leaders of tomorrow by obtaining an education from our nation's private colleges."

The CIC-UPS Educational Endowment Fund, which is held and administered by CIC, funds the UPS Scholarships. Since its inception, this fund has generated nearly $49 million in scholarship aid to support more than 17,000 students.

The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of 640 nonprofit independent colleges and universities and 90 higher education organizations that has worked since 1956 to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence and enhance public understanding of private higher education's contributions to society.

CIC is the national organization that focuses on providing services to leaders of independent colleges and universities as well as conferences, seminars and other programs that help institutions to improve the quality of education, administrative and financial performance and institutional visibility. CIC also provides support to state fundraising associations that organize programs and generate contributions for private colleges and universities. CIC is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.cic.edu.

The UPS Foundation, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2011, is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national and global communities. In 2010, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $95 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. UPS is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight, the facilitation of international trade and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. UPS news is available at pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

*The ICUT Foundation is the state member of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). The Foundation includes 36 member independent colleges and universities. It represents the interests and protects and promotes the general welfare of the non-profit, tax-exempt independent colleges and universities located in Texas.