[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT WORK AND MISSION OF THE EDSCHOLAR SCHOLARSHIP 
                                PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. HAROLD E. FORD, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2005

  Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important work 
and mission of the Edscholar scholarship program.
  Sponsored jointly by Edamerica and Edfinancial Services, the 
Edscholar program underwrites tuition expenses for qualified incoming 
freshmen at eligible colleges and universities throughout Tennessee. In 
a very tangible way, this program acknowledges and rewards outstanding 
students seeking to improve their lives through higher education.
  Today, with the profound need for a more advanced and better trained 
workforce, college education has never been more valuable. Despite this 
reality, obtaining a higher education has become increasingly difficult 
given escalating tuition costs across the nation. Last year alone, 
tuition at 4-year public colleges and universities rose 7.1 percent, 
more than double the rate of inflation.
  That is why the Edscholar scholarship program is so important; it 
helps students who otherwise might not have had access to higher 
education. By funding scholarships for deserving undergraduates, 
Edscholar helps these accomplished students develop their individual 
talents and expand their minds.
  Just as important, focusing on the individual helps Edscholar achieve 
its primary goal of improving the quality of life throughout all of 
Tennessee. By providing these exceptional students with the means to 
expand their personal and professional leadership skills, Edscholar is 
helping to educate and train our next generation of leaders.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I ask my colleagues to 
join with me in honoring the purpose and spirit of the Edscholar 
scholarship program.

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