Thirty-nine Hoosiers from across the state will be awarded scholarships during ceremony at Circle Centre Mall
INDIANAPOLIS, IN June 12, 2018 — Simon, a leading global retail real estate company, will award 39 high school graduates from around the state with $145,450 in college scholarships on behalf of Simon Youth Foundation (SYF). Anne Marie Tiernon, WTHR-TV NBC Indianapolis anchor, will emcee the presentation, which will take place at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden at Circle Centre Mall. The morning will commence with a breakfast, followed by the scholarship presentation at 9:15 a.m.
“Simon Youth Foundation exists to help students realize their full potential through the power of education, which changes their lives and in turn the shapes the future of their communities,” said Dr. J. Michael Durnil, President and CEO of SYF. “We are incredibly proud to join Simon in honoring these remarkable students and helping them pursue their dreams through education.”
Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic merit and civic involvement. SYF also gives special consideration to students who are the first in their families to attend college. Nearly thirty percent of this year’s recipients will continue their education at four-year institutions in Indiana, including Butler University, Indiana University, Purdue University, University of Notre Dame and others.
SYF awards more than $1 million in scholarships annually through its Simon Youth Scholarship Program. The scholarships are awarded to students graduating from Simon Youth Academies, to graduating seniors in each market that is home to a Simon mall, and to the children of Simon Property Group employees.
Indiana is home to three Simon Youth Academies: Simon Youth Academy at Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis, a partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools; Simon Youth Clark-Pleasant Academy in Whiteland, Ind., a partnership with Clark-Pleasant Community Schools and in association with Greenwood Park Mall; and Simon Youth Academy at Edinburgh Premium Outlets in Edinburgh, Ind., a partnership with Edinburgh Community Schools.
In addition to the malls associated with Indiana’s Simon Youth Academies, other Indiana-area Simon Malls represented at this year’s ceremony include Castleton Square Mall (Indianapolis), College Mall (Bloomington) Fashion Mall at Keystone (Indianapolis), Greenwood Park Mall (Greenwood), Hamilton Town Center (Noblesville), Tippecanoe Mall (Lafayette), University Park Mall (Mishawaka) and Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets (Michigan City).
This scholarship ceremony is part of a larger initiative called Simon Supports Education, which includes several activations designed to engage shoppers in support of SYF’s mission to help students graduate high school and pursue post-secondary educational opportunities. The scholarships awarded at next week’s ceremony are funded largely by Simon Property Group employee and shopper donations.
Shoppers can donate to SYF in several ways while shopping at Simon malls: by dropping their spare change in the SYF wishing wells or fountains, donating at Simon Guest Services, or by purchasing an SYF Visa® Simon Giftcard®; one dollar from the sale of each Giftcard supports SYF’s scholarship and graduation programs.
About Simon Youth Foundation
Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) is a national nonprofit committed to helping students graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary educational opportunities. SYF executes this mission by partnering with local public school districts to build schools called Simon Youth Academies, through which students at risk of dropping out of high school receive the personalized support needed to earn their diplomas, and by providing renewable Simon Youth Scholarships to graduating seniors who live near Simon Malls. Since its inception, SYF has maintained a 90 percent graduation rate at its more than 30 Simon Youth Academies, helping nearly 16,000 students earn their high school diplomas, and awarded nearly $17 million Simon Youth Scholarships. Visit syf.org to learn more.
About Simon
Simon is a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations and an S&P 100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our properties across North America, Europe, and Asia provide community gathering places for millions of people every day and generate billions in annual sales. For more information, visit simon.com
