Comcast today recognized the Indiana recipients of its 2010 Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program, awarding 69 graduating high school seniors from across the state a $1,000 college scholarship in recognition of their academic achievement and commitment to community. Also, Comcast surprised one student, Andrew Miller of Burlington, Indiana with a $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship, named after Comcast founder Ralph Roberts, to provide an additional helping hand in paying for his education at Vincennes University.

Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, was keynote speaker at the ceremony. “I’m pleased to be part of a celebration recognizing so many of Indiana’s best and brightest high school seniors,” Dr. Bennett said. “High school students in Indiana continue to make great strides, demonstrating both academic achievement and civic responsibility. I join Comcast in applauding these future leaders.”

“Each year, we are excited to award Leaders and Achievers scholarships to talented and deserving students in Indiana who demonstrate leadership in school activities and reflect a strong commitment to community service,” said Scott Tenney, Senior Vice President for Comcast in Indiana. “We are proud to recognize the success and potential of such outstanding student leaders, all of whom are preparing for the next step in their educational careers.”

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides one-time $1,000 scholarships to students who strive to achieve their potential, are catalysts for positive change in their communities, are involved in their schools and serve as models for their fellow students. The philosophy behind the program is to give young people every opportunity to be prepared for the future, to engage youth in their communities and to demonstrate the importance of civic involvement and the value placed on civic involvement by the business community.
Since 2001, there have been over 13,300 scholarship winners receiving more than $13.4 million. In Indiana, 551 high school seniors have been awarded Comcast Leaders and Achievers scholarships, totaling $560,000.

Each year, Comcast works with high school principals, guidance counselors and school administrators to select the scholarship recipients. The program is overseen by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc., an independent firm that specializes in managing sponsored scholarship programs.