For Release: 6/30/2006Contact: Ben Kiser, 402.458.3024 Lincoln, Neb., June 30, 2006 – Nelnet (NYSE: NNI), a leading education finance company, is hosting a 5k charity run/walk in Seward Park in Seattle, Wash. on July 7 at 6:45 a.m. The Nelnet Race for Education, in conjunction with the annual National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) conference, will donate proceeds to Treehouse, an organization that educates and assists the foster youth of Seattle. In addition, Nelnet will match the $20 entry fee to boost the final donation amount. The race is open to NASFAA attendees and the public. For more information and to register for the Nelnet 5k, please visit www.nelnet.net/5k.
Nelnet recognizes the predicament of families who struggle to pay for college tuition and considers charitable giving its corporate responsibility. The organization funds scholarships each year to help students realize their academic goals, supporting its vision of making educational dreams possible.
Nelnet’s College Planning Center recently awarded scholarships to 103 high school students through its national online and state-based regional programs. These awards, totaling more than $120,000, are offered through the company’s Web site, www.nelnet.net/collegeplanning. The site also provides access to a database of other scholarships worth more than $6 billion.
The Nelnet Foundation funds scholarships and supports charities to facilitate college access and promote philanthropy. In addition, the Nelnet Foundation has awarded scholarships through United Negro College Fund, Junior Achievement, and the National College Access Network.
This spring, the Nelnet Foundation established the Big Mama-Nelnet Scholarship Fund. Nelnet teamed with ABC television for the March 31, 2006 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition broadcast to the delight of Essie “Big Mama” Reed, a celebrated Fort Lauderdale, Fla. resident. The $75,000 fund was established to help the neighborhood mentor provide opportunities for local children to pursue higher education.
The Nelnet Race for Education is in its third year. Last July, the charity race was held in New York City and raised $5,000 for local schools to buy books. The inaugural race was held in Minneapolis, Minn.
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Nelnet is one of the leading education finance companies in the United States and is focused on providing quality products and services to students and schools nationwide. Nelnet ranks among the nation's leaders in terms of total net student loan assets with $21.3 billion as of March 31, 2006. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Nelnet originates, consolidates, securitizes, holds, and services student loans, principally loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Additional information is available at www.nelnet.com.