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U.S. News & World Report
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U.S. News & World Report Links With AXA to Expand Its Education Franchise With $670,000 In Scholarships In Its Best Colleges Issue

The AXA Foundation, In Association With U.S. News, Offers the AXA Achievement Scholarship: the Largest Scholarship Ever Offered in the College Rankings Issue

The AXA Achievement Scholarship Program will award $670,000 in annual scholarships to students throughout the nation. Details of the program will be included in the magazine’s America’s Best Colleges issue, which contains the most highly anticipated college rankings (on newsstands September 16^th and online on September 13^th).

"In creating America’s Best Colleges 19 years ago, U.S. News set out to better inform parents and children as they pick the college of their choice," said Brian Kelly, managing editor of U.S. News. "Now, through our association with AXA, we can extend our longtime commitment to America’s youth."

Through the AXA Achievement Scholarship Program, 52 students - one from each state, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico - will be selected to receive one-time scholarship awards of $10,000 each; 10 students will be selected as national winners from the pool of 52, earning an additional scholarship of $15,000, the opportunity for an internship at AXA’s offices and a new computer. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated that they have achieved outside the classroom, have ambition and dedication to succeed, the ability to succeed in a college environment and respect for self, family and community. The scholarship application is available for download on www.axa-achievement.com and must be postmarked no later than December 15, 2002, to be considered for an award this year.

"Our goal is to direct AXA’s philanthropic resources into providing the scholarships that help bridge the gap between the cost of college and what families can actually afford," said Kip Condron, President and CEO of AXA Financial. "In addition, AXA is committed to providing the best advice to simplify the process of paying for college, which is why U.S.News is a perfect fit in bringing the AXA Achievement Scholarship to the public."

In addition to appearing in America’s Best Colleges, the scholarship program will subsequently be featured in the U.S.News’ Paying For College issue (Sept. 23^rd), in the College Funding issue (May 5, 2003), where winners will be announced, and online in usnews.com’s education section. The scholarship program will be administered by the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of America, the nation’s largest provider of private scholarships.

The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Financial, Inc., one of the world's premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA Group, a leader in financial protection and wealth management. The AXA Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence. Since it was established in 1987, the AXA Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $80 million. The AXA Achievement Scholarship Program, in association with the U.S. News & World Report, is a primary program element of AXA Achievement, which provides the best advice and access for youth to help them succeed in college and beyond. For more information, visit www.axaonline.com/axafoundation/index.html.

U.S.News & World Report is a weekly national newsmagazine devoted to investigative journalism and reporting and analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology, and social trends. Through its annual rankings of America's Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools and America's Best Hospitals, and its News You Can Use™ brand, U.S.News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. Available online at www.usnews.com, U.S.News was recently named the most credible newsweekly by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.